Georgia Man Sentenced to Over Three Years for $1.5 Million Fraud Scheme

Jeremiah Carbon, 36, of Lithonia, Georgia, was sentenced to 41 months in federal prison for his role in a $1.5 million money order scheme.Photo byPepi StojanovskionUnsplash

The U.S. Attorney's Office for the Northern District of Georgia announced today that Jeremiah Carbon, 36, of Lithonia, Georgia, has been sentenced to three years and five months in federal prison, followed by three years of supervised release, for depositing nearly $1.5 million in fraudulent money orders and possessing a firearm as a convicted felon.

Carbon pleaded guilty on June 6, 2024, to charges of bank fraud conspiracy, bank fraud, and being a felon in possession of a firearm, according to the DOJ.

“Carbon exploited a system designed to securely transfer funds for personal gain,” said U.S. Attorney Ryan K. Buchanan. “The integrity of our banking systems is vital for protecting the financial interests of millions of Americans.”

According to the charges and other information presented in court, between December 2019 and September 2022, Carbon purchased nearly 1,500 money orders from retail stores in Georgia and other states, using fake identities and false driver’s licenses—many of which included legitimate license numbers from others.

He then copied the blank money orders, completed them with fictitious names, and deposited the duplicates into accounts at multiple federally insured banks. Some accounts were in Carbon's name, while others were under his co-conspirators’ names, according to the DOJ.

After depositing the fraudulent money orders, Carbon returned the original blank orders to the retail stores and received refunds. In total, Carbon’s scheme amounted to nearly $1.5 million in fraudulent transactions.

Surveillance footage showed Carbon purchasing and returning money orders at various retail locations. In some cases, he used a fake driver’s license but made additional purchases with his real debit card.

On February 22, 2022, during a traffic stop by the Gwinnett County Sheriff’s Office for an unrelated violation, deputies discovered multiple blank money orders, a printer/copier, receipts, and a paper cutter in Carbon’s vehicle.

He was also found in possession of a semi-automatic firearm, which he was prohibited from possessing due to his prior felony conviction.

“Carbon believed he could evade law enforcement when he resumed his criminal ways,” said Frederick D. Houston, Special Agent in Charge of the U.S. Secret Service Atlanta Field Office.

“What he learned is that the Secret Service consistently adapts our methods to uncover illicit financial schemes. We are mandated to safeguard our nation’s critical financial infrastructure and will continue to deploy every asset to do just that.”

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