HOUSTON – Five Houston-area residents are facing federal charges after investigators say they tried to cash in on a counterfeit U.S. Treasury tax refund check worth more than $1 million.
A 33-count indictment was unsealed charging Torik M. Blade, 39, of Missouri City; Kendra L. Folkes, 37, of Katy; Rickelle D. Taylor, 38, of Spring; Raven N. Morris, 34, of Houston; and Stephen G. James, 42, of Houston.
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The federal grand jury returned the indictment July 22. All five have made their initial appearances before U.S. Magistrate Judge Yvonne Ho.
What investigators say happened
According to the indictment, an unidentified person allegedly deposited a counterfeit Treasury tax refund check for $1,052,615.97 into a business account belonging to Blade.
Blade and the other defendants then allegedly attempted to access the money through a series of financial transactions.
Investigators say the group used some of the fraudulently obtained funds to purchase cashier’s checks, transfer money between financial institutions and make cash withdrawals.
The defendants are facing various charges, including:
- Passing a counterfeit U.S. Treasury check
- Bank fraud
- Conspiracy
- Money laundering
If convicted, the defendants could face significant federal prison sentences and fines.
Blade faces up to 20 years in federal prison and a possible $250,000 fine for passing the counterfeit check. He also faces up to 30 years in prison and a $1 million fine for each bank fraud count, as well as additional potential prison time and fines for the conspiracy and money laundering charges.
Folkes, Taylor, Morris and James face similar maximum penalties if convicted.
The investigation was conducted by the Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration, IRS Criminal Investigation and the U.S. Secret Service.
Assistant U.S. Attorney John R. Lewis is prosecuting the case.
An indictment is a formal accusation of criminal conduct and is not evidence of guilt. All five defendants are presumed innocent unless proven guilty in court.