BOSTON — Four Massachusetts men have been indicted in an alleged scheme to deposit at least $12.2 million in stolen U.S. Treasury checks at banks and credit unions, federal prosecutors said. One of the men also faces charges in a separate case involving more than $1 million in fraud targeting financial institutions and their customers.
A federal grand jury charged David Obeng, 24, of Dedham; Lynley Joseph, 26, of Brockton; Lindsley Georges, 33, of Everett; and Shaunsayh Addo, 33, of Leominster, with one count each of conspiracy to commit bank fraud and conspiracy to commit money laundering, according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office for Massachusetts.
A second indictment charges Obeng with conspiracy to commit wire fraud, five counts of bank fraud, two counts of money laundering and one count of aggravated identity theft.
Joseph and Addo were released under conditions after initial appearances in federal court in Boston. Obeng and Georges remained detained pending hearings.
How the Scheme Allegedly Worked
Prosecutors allege the four coordinated the theft and deposit of Treasury checks totaling at least $12.2 million from 2023 through 2026. The checks had been issued to legitimate payees but were altered to name shell companies controlled by the defendants, according to the first indictment.
Each defendant allegedly arranged for checks to be deposited at banks or credit unions in the Boston area in exchange for a share of the proceeds. Prosecutors said the defendants then used transactions intended to conceal the source of the money, including cashier’s checks, the purchase of $310,000 in luxury watches and a $425,000 real estate loan secured by property in Nantucket.
Eight other people were charged in June 2025 and one more in June 2026 in connection with the deposit of the same stolen Treasury checks, prosecutors said.
Georges was convicted of money laundering in federal court in Massachusetts in January 2022 and was serving a term of supervised release during his alleged involvement in the new case, according to court records cited by prosecutors.
Separate Allegations Against Obeng
In the second case, prosecutors allege Obeng and others gained unauthorized access to victims’ bank and retirement accounts. The group allegedly sent text messages that appeared to come from banks asking customers to confirm purchases, then called victims while posing as bank fraud investigators.
During those calls, conspirators persuaded victims to provide codes needed to authorize withdrawals, purportedly to verify their identities, prosecutors said. Obeng and others allegedly transferred money from the victims’ accounts to accounts they controlled.
Additional Allegations
The indictment also alleges the group recruited people to impersonate customers at bank branches, open accounts, move fraud proceeds through them and withdraw cash.
“Fraudsters who saddle banks, credit unions, and their customers with million-dollar losses harm consumers too,” U.S. Attorney Leah B. Foley said in a statement.
The IRS Criminal Investigation division, FBI and U.S. Postal Inspection Service participated in the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Kristen Kearney and Seth B. Kosto are prosecuting the cases.
Bank fraud and conspiracy to commit bank fraud each carry a maximum penalty of 30 years in prison. Money laundering charges carry maximum penalties of 20 years. Aggravated identity theft carries a mandatory two-year prison term consecutive to any other sentence. Any sentence would be determined by a federal judge.
The charges are allegations. The defendants are presumed innocent unless proven guilty.
