FLORIDA — A 69-year-old Florida man pleaded guilty to a $14 million fraudulent check scheme on Thursday, according to the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ).
Eri Guzman Ortiz, who previously resided in Miami-Dade County, admitted to using fraudulent and unauthorized checks to steal millions of dollars from thousands of bank accounts tied to people and businesses.
According to the DOJ, Ortiz used fraudulent checks to steal the money by transferring it from the victims' bank accounts to the bank accounts of "sham companies."
Guzman Ortiz pleaded guilty to one count of wire fraud.
He is scheduled to be sentenced on Nov. 5, facing up to 20 years in prison.
Attorneys Daniel Zytnick and Anna Forgie of the Criminal Division’s Fraud Section are prosecuting the case, with Assistant U.S. Attorney Nicole Grosnoff for the Southern District of Florida handling forfeiture.
County responds to community concerns, acknowledges work still needed
After an hour-long tour of the entire facility with county officials, Tampa Bay 28 reporter Haley Zarcone got answers to many of those questions—and found the county acknowledges some issues that still need to be addressed.
