8 charged in multi-state, $8.8 million bank fraud, racketeering scheme: Florida

Fox35Orlando – Eight people are facing charges in a multi-state, $8.8 million bank fraud and racketeering scheme impacting 235 people, mainly those who are elderly, according to Attorney General James Uthmeier and Polk County Sheriff Grady Judd.

Uthmeier and Judd made the announcement at a press conference on Wednesday at the Polk County Sheriff’s Office in Winter Haven. The suspects have all now been extradited and booked into the Polk County Jail.

The investigation was a collaboration between the Florida Attorney General’s Office of Statewide Prosecution, the Florida Attorney General’s Cyber Fraud Enforcement Unit and the Florida Department of Law Enforcement. Detectives from the Maryland State Police, Virginia State Police, Allegany County Sheriff’s Office (MD) and Florissant Police (MO) also assisted in the investigation. 

Uthmeier and Judd made the announcement at a press conference on Wednesday at the Polk County Sheriff’s Office in Winter Haven. 

The suspects, who lived outside of Florida, had Polk County warrants issued for their arrests, and they have all now been extradited and booked into the Polk County Jail. 

Officials said the investigation began in April 2023, when Synchrony banks noticed suspicious activity tied to a newly opened account belonging to 27-year-old Michael Nevarez of Lakeland.

The account, opened one month earlier, received a $250,000 transfer from another bank, and the funds were quickly dispersed to other accounts.

Detectives also found links to 25-year-old Kevin Clayton of Lakeland, who opened a Synchrony bank account around the same time as Nevarez and was also receiving large amounts from bank accounts ranging from $15,000 to $54,000. Clayton was also transferring these funds from his Synchrony bank account to his own personal accounts.