A federal indictment alleges Albany-area actors participated in a bank fraud scheme involving over $1 million in stolen checks. Prosecutors say the case includes money laundering and aggravated identity theft-related conduct.

According to DOJ’s release from the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of New York, Jahquel Robertson and 12 others were indicted in connection with a bank fraud conspiracy. The DOJ filing alleges that the group used stolen checks as part of a broader financial fraud operation, with prosecutors describing losses totaling over $1 million. The charges also include money laundering and aggravated identity theft-related conduct, indicating that the alleged scheme was not limited to simple theft of payments. Identity theft components can be used to create fraudulent accounts, obtain access to banking services, and facilitate laundering or layering of proceeds. In many check-based fraud operations, stolen check data and manipulated banking logistics are combined with forged or unauthorized attempts to move funds. By charging money laundering alongside identity theft and bank fraud, prosecutors portray the defendants as part of an organized system designed to convert illicit proceeds into usable funds and to obscure their origins. The case serves as a reminder that consumer harm from financial fraud can involve multiple stages—stolen payment instruments, identity misuse, and efforts to conceal transactions—often making early detection difficult for victims.