Middle District of Alabama — Eight people, including 25-year-old Hunter Hudson Jr., have been sentenced in connection with an elaborate wire, bank, and mail fraud conspiracy that defrauded financial institutions out of over $1.5 million, federal prosecutors announced.
According to the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Alabama, Hudson acted as the ringleader of a group self-dubbed the “Fraud Academy.” The crew stole checks from mail, altered them, and deposited the forged checks into fraudulent bank accounts set up with the help of co-conspirators.
Investigators say the group used group chats to coordinate their activities and recruited accomplices who knowingly allowed their accounts to be used for the scam. Lyrics from Hudson’s rap songs reportedly provided key leads during the investigation.
The case was investigated with assistance from the U.S. Postal Service and the FBI.
“Any attempt to exploit our postal or banking systems is a serious violation of the public’s trust,” said FBI Acting Special Agent in Charge Timothy J. O’Malley. “These actions will not be tolerated and will be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law.”
Captain Eric Hill of the Venice Police Department in Florida added that Hudson traveled across the country stealing mail, “washing” checks, and using the information to commit fraud.
In addition to his 92-month prison sentence, Hudson was ordered to pay $987,883.50 in restitution and to forfeit $91,020.41 in fraud proceeds.
The names and sentences of the other seven convicted individuals have not yet been released publicly.
