SALT LAKE CITY, UT – Toddorius Goodwin, 34, of Atlanta, has been sentenced to 36 months in federal prison for his role in a conspiracy involving counterfeit checks cashed at various banks and credit unions in Utah. U.S. District Judge Tena Campbell also sentenced Goodwin to five years of supervised release and ordered him to pay over $214,000 in restitution.
The conspiracy, which took place between April and October 2022, involved Goodwin and his associates orchestrating a sophisticated check fraud operation. According to the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Utah, Goodwin’s group would travel from Georgia to Utah, recruiting vulnerable local individuals to cash counterfeit checks.
The fraudsters stole payroll checks from private mailboxes, altered the payee names to those of the recruited individuals, and instructed them to cash the forged checks at various banks. In exchange for their participation, the recruits were promised a small portion of the proceeds from the fraud, the department said.
The operation was carefully coordinated, with Goodwin’s team providing guidance and training to the recruits via earpiece while maintaining a distance during the check-cashing transactions. Over the course of several months, the group managed to cash at least $214,179.51 worth of fraudulent checks in Utah.
In a statement, U.S. Attorney Trina A. Higgins expressed the department’s commitment to pursuing justice for financial fraud. “Mr. Goodwin’s behavior demonstrates a disrespect for the law and the community,” she said.
HSI Las Vegas Special Agent in Charge Chris Miller added, “Exploiting the vulnerable to commit check fraud is not only a crime against the law but a grave injustice against humanity. Those who prey on the impoverished to cash fraudulent checks, manipulating their desperation for personal gain, stand as a stark reminder of the darkest facets of greed.”