Portland, Ore. - Karin J. Immergut, United States Attorney for the District of Oregon, asks for the public’s help in a bank fraud investigation. Five men, including three former Portland State University (PSU) students, allegedly used their on-campus connections with the PSU football team and others to recruit participants in the scheme described in more detail below. Ms. Immergut, along with David I. Miller, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI in Oregon, and the Washington County Fraud and Identity Theft Enforcement (FITE) Team, comprised of investigators from the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, Washington County Sheriff’s Office and Hillsboro Police Department, seeks the public’s help in identifying victims and participants in this wide-ranging bank fraud scheme.
A federal grand jury returned an indictment naming the following individuals on December 20, 2007. The charges are as follows:
RALPH ARTIAGA, 24, resident of Tacoma, Washington: 10 counts of Bank Fraud and one count of Aggravated Identity Theft
CALVIN DAVIS, 19, resident of Federal Way, Washington: Three counts of Bank Fraud and one count of Aggravated Identity Theft
BRANDON JONES, 24, resident of Beaverton, Oregon: Five counts of Bank Fraud
DOMINIC DIXON, 23, resident of Seattle, Washington: Two counts of Bank Fraud
JOE SOFTLI, 23, resident of Beaverton, Oregon: Three counts of Bank Fraud
Bank Fraud carries a maximum penalty of 30 years in prison and a fine of $1,000,000, while Aggravated Identity Theft carries a mandatory penalty of 2 years in prison.
The indictment alleges that beginning about August 2006 and continuing until January 2007, the defendants convinced approximately 20 people – mostly PSU students – to “sell” their ATM cards and Personal Identification Numbers (PIN’s) to the defendants. The defendants would then deposit stolen or fraudulent checks into the “participants” accounts, inflating the account balances. Before the banks realized the checks were bad, the men would withdraw the funds with the ATM cards. The defendants allegedly coached the “participants” to lie if approached by law enforcement or the banks and to say their ATM card had been lost or stolen.
The government estimates the banks lost more than $100,000 as a result of this scheme. It is also alleged that each “participant” was paid several hundred dollars for use of his or her ATM card.
The investigation is continuing and FBI agents and the Washington County FITE Team are in the process of identifying individuals who were approached or who sold their ATM cards to these men. Any person whose involvement was limited to being approached or selling an ATM card and who comes forward and cooperates by providing complete and truthful information will not face charges. Any person with information should take this opportunity to call the FBI at (503) 224-4181.
United States Attorney Immergut praised the work of the FBI and the FITE Team, adding “I urge any person who has information about this case to immediately contact the FBI and cooperate.”
Defendants Jones and Dixon both played on PSU’s football team during the 2006-07 school year. Defendant Softli was also a student during this time. None of the defendants are currently attending PSU.
Artiaga is currently in custody in Washington State on unrelated local charges. Jones was arrested by the FBI and FITE Team on October 19, 2007. Dixon and Softli turned themselves in to the FBI on December 27, 2007. Davis turned himself into the FBI on January 2, 2008. All except Artiaga are free pending further proceedings in the U.S. District Court of Oregon.
An indictment is merely an accusation, and the defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty.
Prosecution of this case is being handled by Assistant U.S. Attorney Amy Potter.
