THIS CELESTIN IS TOO YOUNG – SAD BUT TRUE

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
WEDNESDAY, JUNE 11, 2008
WWW.USDOJ.GOV/USAO/MA

CONTACT: CHRISTINA DiIORIO-STERLING
PHONE: (617)748-3356
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BANK INSIDER AND RUNNER CONVICTED FOR ROLES IN COUNTERFEIT CHECK RING

BOSTON, MA – Two men were convicted yesterday in federal court on charges of conspiracy and bank fraud arising from their roles in a large-scale counterfeit check ring.

United States Attorney Michael J. Sullivan and Warren T. Bamford, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Field Division, announced today that JUDE CELESTIN, age 25, of Boston, and DUCARMEL EDOUARD, age 30, of Brockton, were convicted by a jury sitting before Chief U.S. District Judge Mark L. Wolf of conspiracy and bank fraud.

Evidence presented during the ten-day trial proved that CELESTIN and EDOUARD were members of a counterfeit check cashing ring that operated in the Boston area in 2003 and 2004, whose members attempted to cash close to $1 million in counterfeit checks. CELESTIN was an employee of Fleet Bank/Bank of America who provided the ring with customer account information in order to create the counterfeit checks. EDOUARD was one of several check runners who cashed the counterfeit checks that were created by other members of the ring. The evidence presented at trial included photos of EDOUARD cashing numerous counterfeit checks throughout Massachusetts and bank computer records showing CELESTIN searching for, identifying, and then accessing various small business accounts that were subsequently defrauded by the cashing of counterfeit checks.

Chief Judge Mark Wolf scheduled CELESTIN’S and EDOUARD’S sentencings for September 9, 2008. CELESTIN and EDOUARD each face up to five years’ imprisonment on the conspiracy charges and thirty years’ imprisonment on the bank fraud charges. The conspiracy charges also carry a maximum term of three years of supervised release, and a $250,000 fine. Each bank fraud charge further carries a maximum term of five years’ supervised release and a $1,000,000 fine.

Others charged in connection with this counterfeit check ring include: BURDLEY JEAN who pleaded guilty on December 27, 2007, and was sentenced by Chief Judge Mark Wolf to fifty- seven months’ imprisonment to be followed by three years of supervised release; PETERSON DUMORNAY, who pleaded guilty on January 9, 2008 and is currently serving a forty-one month sentence to be followed by three years of supervised release; JEAN MARC NORISCAT, who pleaded guilty on November 15, 2006 and is currently awaiting sentencing; ANDERSON DEMOSTHENES, who pleaded guilty on January 9, 2008 and is currently awaiting sentencing; JAMES ROBERT NORMIL, who pleaded guilty on June 23, 2006 and is currently awaiting sentencing; STEVEN MARCELIN, who pleaded guilty on April 7, 2008 and is currently awaiting sentencing; SHAVONE NOBLE, who pleaded guilty on June 23, 2006 and is currently awaiting sentencing; and TYAMISHA TAVARES, who pleaded guilty on June 23, 2006 and is currently awaiting sentencing.

The case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation. It was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys James P. Dowden, Scott L. Garland and John A. Capin, of Sullivan’s Economic Crimes and Computer Crimes Unit.

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