BUFFALO, N.Y. — A 25-year-old man from Cheektowaga, New York, was sentenced on Wednesday to 12 months in federal prison for his role in a conspiracy to commit bank fraud. Cross Malik Williams received the sentence from U.S. District Judge John L. Sinatra, Jr., after pleading guilty to his involvement in a scheme that caused significant financial loss.
According to Assistant U.S. Attorney Charles M. Kruly, who prosecuted the case, Williams and his co-defendant, Kingsley Brown, engaged in the fraudulent activity between August 2022 and July 2023. The two men purchased approximately 570 stolen bank cards from various online marketplaces. They then used a card-making device to transfer the stolen banking information onto blank plastic cards equipped with magnetic strips.
These counterfeit cards allowed Williams and Brown, or individuals acting on their behalf, to make unauthorized purchases using funds from the victims’ bank accounts. One of the primary uses of the stolen card information was to buy gas for others. Williams and Brown would charge the gas buyers less than the actual cost, pocketing the difference.
Williams accepted responsibility for causing between $250,000 and $550,000 in total financial losses. His co-defendant, Kingsley Brown, has also been convicted and is currently awaiting sentencing.
The case highlights the ongoing challenges posed by online marketplaces in facilitating the sale of stolen financial information and the significant impact of such schemes on victims and financial institutions.