Three co-conspirators were sentenced to federal prison for orchestrating an elaborate, multi-state bank fraud operation that targeted federally insured financial institutions with stolen identities, counterfeit US military credentials, and chemically “washed” checks.
The defendants attempted to steal over $300,000 in five states—Indiana, Ohio, Virginia, Maryland, and Pennsylvania—and made off with $58,800 before law enforcement shut down the scheme.
The case was prosecuted by the Department of Justice’s National Fraud Enforcement Division and the Trump Administration’s Task Force to Eliminate Fraud, led by Vice President J.D. Vance.
U.S. District Court Judge Matthew P. Brookman sentenced the three defendants in Evansville federal court:
Courtney J. Jackson, 38, of Connecticut, was sentenced to eight years in federal prison, followed by three years of supervised release. Jackson was found guilty of conspiracy to conduct bank fraud, bank fraud, and aggravated identity theft.
Samuel B. Javier, 28, of Bronx, New York, was sentenced to four years and six months in federal prison, followed by one year of supervised release. Javier was found guilty of conspiracy to commit bank fraud and aggravated identity theft. Javier, a Dominican Republic resident with an expired visa, faces mandatory removal from the United States once his term is completed.
Patricia A. Cimino (a.k.a. Pattianne Rodriguez), 62, of Connecticut, was sentenced to three years in federal prison followed by three years on supervised release. Cimino was found guilty of conspiracy to conduct bank fraud and aggravated identity theft.
The three criminals were each forced to pay $58,800.00 in reparation.
According to court records, between August 1 and September 16, 2025, the trio committed or attempted around 30 fraudulent bank transactions. The conspiracy used complex strategies, which included:
Earpiece-Guided Bank Fraud: On September 13, 2025, Jackson and Javier instructed Cimino to approach a bank in Princeton, Indiana, masquerading as a victim named “M.B.” Cimino submitted a counterfeit U.S. Army identification card with M.B.’s name and Cimino’s photograph. When bank tellers requested additional security verification, Jackson and Javier communicated M.B.’s Social Security number and date of birth to Cimino via a disguised earphone. Cimino left with $8,700 thanks to the strategy.
Shipment of Counterfeit Credentials: On September 17, 2025, Javier sent a FedEx package from Indianapolis to the Bronx. The package was intercepted by federal officials, who discovered seven false U.S. Army IDs, seven counterfeit U.S. passport cards with Cimino’s likeness and the personal information of separate victims, as well as 14 stolen checks.
Check-Washing Ring: The organization retrieved stolen checks, employed chemical solutions to remove the original ink, and rewrote them to themselves for larger sums. They attempted to deposit these changed checks into controlled accounts, hoping to earn an extra $149,286.45 on top of the $180,058.19 in attempted cash withdrawals.
“These defendants didn’t hesitate to exploit stolen identities, counterfeit documents, and even fake U.S. Army identification cards to carry out their scheme. Pretending to serve in our nation’s military to steal from innocent Americans is not just fraud, it is an appalling act of deception that insults the men and women who wear the uniform with honor,” said Tom Wheeler, U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Indiana. “Today’s sentences reaffirm our commitment to protecting Hoosiers by aggressively pursuing fraudsters.”
“Fraudsters can use sophisticated tactics and move across state lines, but they can’t hide from investigators who know how to follow the evidence,” said Timothy J. O’Malley, FBI Special Agent in Charge in Indianapolis. “This investigation is a good example of law enforcement agencies working together to identify a coordinated criminal scheme and bring those responsible to justice.”
The FBI, the Defense Criminal Investigative Service, and the Indiana State Police all worked together to undertake the investigation. Matthew B. Miller and Todd S. Shellenbarger, both assistant United States attorneys, prosecuted the case.
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