Jacksonville, Florida – United States Attorney Roger B. Handberg announces the return of an indictment charging Anthony Jermaine Robinson (31, Covington, Georgia) with conspiracy to commit bank fraud, seven counts of bank fraud, five counts of false representation of a Social Security number (SSN), and five counts of aggravated identity theft. If convicted, Robinson faces up to 30 years in federal prison for each count of bank fraud and conspiracy to commit bank fraud, a consecutive mandatory minimum penalty of 2 years’ imprisonment for each aggravated identity theft count, up to 5 years in prison on each false SSN representation count and payment of restitution to the victims he and his co-defendant, Kiana Fina Alphonse, defrauded.
According to court documents and public records, Robinson appeared in federal court today pursuant to a writ bringing him to Jacksonville from Georgia State Prison where he is serving a prison sentence for violating parole on a fraud related crime. The Court ordered Robinson detained pending trial. His trial is set for January 2023. Robinson’s co-defendant, Kiana Fina Alphonse (28, Covington, Georgia) appeared in federal court on September 27, 2022. Her trial is set for February 2023.
According to the indictment, Robinson and Alphonse obtained the personally identifiable information (PII) of multiple victims. They then obtained counterfeit driver licenses purportedly from Washington state and Delaware. The counterfeit driver licenses contained the PII of victims, but a picture of Alphonse. Using the PII, to include the SSN of victims, the counterfeit driver licenses, and documents created for fictitious businesses, Alphonse went to multiple banks and opened up business bank accounts in the name of various victims. These bank accounts were then utilized, as part of a scheme to defraud multiple victims with Robinson and Alphonse, among others, receiving the illicit proceeds.
An indictment is merely a formal charge that a defendant has committed one or more violations of federal criminal law, and every defendant is presumed innocent unless, and until, proven guilty.
This case was investigated by the Columbia County Sheriff’s Office and the United States Secret Service, Jacksonville Field Office. It will be prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Kevin C. Frein.