Press Releases
SIX PEOPLE INDICTED BY FEDERAL GRAND JURY FOR BANK FRAUD CONSPIRACY
February 13, 2009
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
EDDIE MATTHEWS III age 40, a resident of New Orleans, Louisiana, ARRIELLE J. ANDERSON, age 25, a resident of New Orleans, Louisiana; DANYALE N. BARNETT, age 26, a resident of Houston, Texas, EVERNY GORDON, age 21, a resident of Simmesport, Louisiana, GILDA DAVIS, age 48, a resident of Humble, Texas, and SHONDRA IRVING, age 34, a resident of Houston, Texas, were charged today in a 27 count indictment by a Federal Grand Jury with charges involving a conspiracy to commit bank fraud, announced U. S. Attorney Jim Letten.
According to the indictment, Count 1 of the indictment charges that from August 30, 2007 through February 15, 2008 all six co-defendants participated in a conspiracy to commit bank fraud. The indictment charges that ANDERSON, BARNETT, GORDON, DAVIS and IRVING were recruited by EDDIE MATTHEWS III to cash fraudulently altered checks which were stolen from residential mail boxes. The checks were forged and altered so as to increase the amount and made payable to the defendants. Additionally, “mother’s care staff” “ home health care” or “care staff” was added in the memo section of the check. The indictment also alleges that to further the conspiracy, ANDERSON, BARNETT, GORDON and IRVING wore scrubs and posed as home health care providers to cash the checks.
It is further alleged that after the fraudulent checks were cashed, the co-conspirators gave MATTHEWS the money illegally obtained from the banks and MATTHEWS provided a portion of the illegal proceeds to the female who cashed the check.
Counts 2-18 and 21- 27 set forth each individual alleged incident of bank fraud committed by the defendants. ANDERSON and MATTHEWS are also charged in Counts 19 and 20 with presenting altered United States Postal Money Orders.
If convicted of Count 1, MATTHEWS, ANDERSON, BARNETT, GORDON, DAVIS and IRVING each face five (5) years imprisonment and a $250,000 fine. Count 2-18 and 21- 27 each carry up to thirty (30) years imprisonment and a fine of not more than $1,000,000. Counts 19 and 20 each carry up to five (5) years imprisonment and a $250,000 fine.
U. S. Attorney Letten reiterated that the indictment is merely a charge and that the guilt of the defendants must be proven beyond a reasonable doubt.
This investigation was conducted by the U. S. Postal Inspection Service. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U. S. Attorney Julia K. Evans.
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