A federal grand jury has issued indictments against two individuals from Emeryville, CA, for their alleged roles in a check-cashing scam involving stolen U.S. Treasury checks. According to the U.S. Attorney's Office, Franchesca Calagui, a former bank teller aged 25, and Dondre Gray, 27, stand accused of conspiracy to commit bank fraud, bank fraud, and in Calagui's case, receipt of stolen checks with forged endorsements.

As outlined in the indictment, between May 2022 and March 2023, Calagui and Gray worked together to obtain and cash these stolen checks, using recruited individuals to endorse or sign them. The pair is believed to have cashed at least 339 Treasury checks, resulting in more than $850,000 for personal gain. According to the U.S. Attorney's Office, text messages shared in the indictment illustrate the pair discussing their illicit activities. "I definitely don’t wanna scam with chase since you work there," Gray allegedly texted, to which Calagui purportedly replied, "I do not care if u scam us lmao."

The investigation, which culminated in their arrests and initial court appearances, involved multiple federal agencies, including the FBI, Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration, and the Internal Revenue Service Criminal Investigation. Both defendants are scheduled to appear before U.S. District Judge Yvonne Gonzalez Rogers for a status conference on April 3.

Though the indictment charges individuals with serious offenses, it is crucial to remember that an indictment is only an allegation, and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt. If convicted, Calagui and Gray potentially face up to 30 years in prison and a fine of $1,000,000 on each counted charge. Their sentences would be determined after consideration of the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and federal statutes. The case is being prosecuted by Special Assistant United States Attorney Cynthia Johnson with assistance from Amala James.