A man pleaded guilty in Federal court to charges related to a scheme defrauding Zelle users.
From February 2021 through August 2023, Kader Gahmaal Biwaki Edmond, 24, and his accomplices defrauded numerous victims, including residents of Connecticut, out of more than $250,000 through a Zelle scheme and other fraud activities.
Edmond was arrested on August 31, 2023, in Miami.
According to court documents and statements, law enforcement has been investigating crimes targeting users of digital payment applications, including Zelle.
Edmond’s scheme worked by sending victims a fraudulent text message purporting to be from their bank, asking them to confirm whether a Zelle transaction was authorized.
When the victim denies the transaction, they receive a follow-up message stating that a bank representative will contact them. The victim then gets a call from someone impersonating a bank representative, who informs them that an unauthorized transaction has occurred and that they need to work together to reverse it.
Unbeknownst to the victim, the fraudsters have already linked the victim’s phone number or email address via Zelle to a bank account that does not belong to the victim.
The victim is instructed to “reverse” the fictitious fraudulent transaction by making a Zelle payment to what they believe is their account but is controlled by the fraudsters.
Edmond pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit bank fraud, an offense punishable by a maximum of 30 years in prison. He is scheduled to be sentenced on August 14 in Hartford. Edmond is currently released on a $100,000 bond pending sentencing.
This case is being investigated by the FBI and prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Edward Chang.
Victims can report Zelle fraud to their bank, credit union, or the Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3), operated by the FBI, at www.ic3.gov.
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