The Oneida Daily Dispatch (Oneida, NY)
Check fraud ringleader sentenced to prison
Kevin Singleton-Lee will spend 6-18years in state prison for his role in a multicounty fraud ring.
UTICA, N.Y. » The ringleader of a check-cashing scheme was sentenced to 6 to 18 years in state prison Tuesday for his role in bilking more than $125,000 from local residents.
Kevin Singleton-Lee, of Clay, along with co-conspirator Jerome Simpson and Daniel Green, issued more than $175,000 in fraudulent checks between December 2015 and August 2017. They first arranged for the creation of bank accounts corresponding with often-fictitious businesses, including “Jones Maintenance” and “Watkins Homecare.” Next, they issued fraudulent checks written in the name of those phony businesses. Then, Singleton-Lee, Simpson, and Green—relying heavily on Facebook and other social media outlets—targeted numerous college students, young single parents, and other vulnerable, unsuspecting young adults, and recruited themto cash forged
checks using their personal accounts, often promising the victims a portion of the funds for their service.
However, af ter the checks were deposited and funds became available, Singleton-Lee, Simpson, and Green drained the accounts of the available balances before the checks were returned and the financial institutions discovered them to be worthless. In some instances, the defendants even assumed the identities of the account holders without their knowledge and consent, accessed their accounts using personal information the defendants required for asserted security purposes, and with- drew funds through ATM transactions.
“Preying on financially vulnerable New Yorkers is unconscionable,” said Attorney General Schneiderman. “My office will remain vigilant in prosecuting those who exploit others for their personal benefit — and continue to protect consumers from economically-devastating schemes like these.”
Singleton- Lee was charged separately in Onondaga and Oneida counties. On Nov. 4, 2016, Singleton-Lee pleaded guilty in Onondaga County to two counts of third- degree grand larceny and one count of first-degree identity theft, all Class D felonies. On Nov. 17, 2017, Singleton-Lee was sentenced to 4 2/3 to 14 years in state prison, which consisted of consecutive terms of 2 1/3 to 7 years for his grand larceny convictions and a concurrent termof 1 to 3 years for his identity theft conviction.
On Dec. 5, 2017, Singleton-Lee pleaded guilty in Oneida County Court to one count of first-degree scheme to defraud, a Class E felony. He as sentenced Tuesday to 1 1/3 to 4 years in state prison to run consecutive to his Onondaga County sentence, for a combined sentence of 6 to 18 years in state prison. As part of his sentences, Singleton-Lee will pay restitution totally more than $125,000 to the victims of his scheme.
Simpson was previously convicted of one count of third-degree grand larceny. On Nov. 20, 2017, Simpson was sentenced to 1 1/3 to 4 years in state prison and ordered to repay $47,880.64 in restitution.
Green was previously convicted of one count of third- degree attempted grand larceny, a Class E felony, in Onondaga County Court. On Oct. 3, 2017, Green was sentenced to time served and four years’ probation, as well as ordered to repay $9,900 in restitution.