More Suspects Arrested in $1 Million CU Shared Branching Network Fraud

Federal prosecutors arrested four additional New York suspects last week on indictments charging them with alleged bank fraud conspiracy that targeted the credit union shared branch network, stealing nearly $1 million since 2021.

Last week, prosecutors arrested New York City-area residents Victor Barriera, 63, from the Bronx and Jerjuan Joyner, 49, Akeem Balogun, 53, and Lesley Lucchese, 53, all three from Brooklyn. In December, the feds arrested Oluwaseun Adekoya, 38, of Newark, N.J., and David Daniyan, 59, of Brooklyn, who allegedly organized the fraud scheme, as well as Gaysha Kennedy, 45, of Brooklyn and Bronx resident Danielle Cappetti, 45, who allegedly participated in the theft ring.

Adekoya and Daniyan allegedly obtained the personally identifiable information of scores of individuals who banked at credit unions throughout the United States.

The fraud ring suspects exploited the shared branching network by creating fake identifications in the names of credit union members, but with photographs of other individuals, whom they employed to conduct fraudulent transactions at shared branch member credit unions across the nation, according to U.S. Attorney Carla B. Freedman in Syracuse and Craig L. Tremaroli, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Albany Field Office.

Federal authorities did not reveal how many credit unions throughout the nation had been victimized. However, court documents showed some of the fraudulent transactions allegedly occurred in the upstate New York counties of Albany, Clinton, Rensselaer and Saratoga at credit union branches in Latham, Albany, Plattsburgh, Cohoes and Rouses Point.

The indictments also charged the eight defendants with allegedly conducting more than 200 fraudulent transactions and stealing in excess of $900,000, which the ringleaders allegedly used to purchase luxury items including Rolex watches, Mercedes-Benz vehicles, and high-end clothing and apparel.

Authorities have seized more than $45,000 in cash and tens of thousands of dollars in jewelry and merchandise, such as Rolex watches, Gucci handbags and Jimmy Choo shoes – many of which were new in their boxes.

Adekoya, Daniyan, Cappetti and Lucchese have each been charged with conspiracy to commit bank fraud and aggravated identity theft. Kennedy, Barriera, Joyner and Balogun have each been charged with conspiracy to commit bank fraud.

All of them have pleaded not guilty to the charges and their trial dates have been scheduled for later this year, according to court filings.

Adeyoka, Daniyan, Barriera and Joyner have each been ordered detained pending trial. The other defendants were released with conditions, according to prosecutors.