Six indicted in $5 million Twin Cities bank fraud scheme

Six individuals from Chicago have been indicted for an alleged fraud scheme targeting banks and credit unions in the Twin Cities area. The group is accused of attempting to steal more than $5.1 million by negotiating stolen checks and opening unauthorized accounts in the names of various businesses.

Lead defendant Willie Roy Turner Jr. faces charges including conspiracy to commit bank fraud, bank fraud, aggravated identity theft, and conspiracy to commit mail fraud. Other defendants include Marc Anderson, Billy Ray Cameron Jr., Devontay Colbert, Dontae Williams, and Takiya Shemwell. Prosecutors allege the group used fake identification and stolen checks intercepted from the mail to deposit funds into fraudulent accounts, subsequently withdrawing the money through cash or cashier’s checks.

Court records indicate the activity occurred between November 2022 and September 2024. One defendant, Takiya Shemwell, is noted as having worked for the U.S. Postal Service in Chicago.