A Birmingham man has been sentenced to federal prison for his involvement in a fraudulent scheme that used an app-based platform to create fake checks, allegedly defrauding businesses, charitable groups, and individuals of over $10 million.
Mekhi Diwone Harris, 25, received a 10-year prison sentence from U.S. District Judge Madeline Haikala and was ordered to forfeit $160,000. Harris was arrested last year and pleaded guilty in April 2024 to one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud and bank fraud.
Court documents indicate that the victims included individuals, municipalities, utilities, churches, nursing homes, schools, nonprofit organizations, and businesses across the nation, with hundreds located in the Northern District of Alabama.
According to FBI Special Agent Megan Grose, over $15.1 million in fraudulent checks were posted to the “Work Related Slips” Telegram channel between October 22, 2022, and August 8, 2023. “Check fraud is a growing national problem,” remarked Northern District of Alabama U.S. Attorney Prim Escalona, noting that Telegram channels like Harris’s facilitated this illegal activity.
Harris, who lived in Birmingham’s Lakeview District before relocating to Texas, utilized Telegram, a cloud-based messaging service, to run his operation. He posted thousands of stolen or fraudulent checks on the channel, taking photographs of them to market for sale. Payment for these transactions was primarily made through Cash App and cryptocurrency.
Investigators linked Harris to the “Work Related Slips” channel through his Cash App account, social media activity, and travel records. His Cash App account was verified in 2021, where he provided personal information, including his social security number and Alabama driver’s license.
Additionally, records from Amazon revealed that Harris purchased supplies necessary for producing counterfeit checks, such as ink cartridges, business check stock, and check readers.
The FBI conducted the investigation with help from the U.S. Postal Service Office of Inspector General, the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, and the U.S. Secret Service Cyber Fraud Task Force. Assistant U.S. Attorney Edward J. Canter prosecuted the case.
FBI Special Agent in Charge Peeples emphasized the threat fraud poses to national security and daily life, stating that the bureau is committed to pursuing those who seek to exploit others for personal gain.
