Eight reputed members and associates of the Bronx-based “Shiesty 66” gang have now learned the hard way that the high-end lifestyle does not come cheap in court. All eight have been sentenced after admitting to a sprawling bank fraud operation that prosecutors say siphoned more than $10 million from victims across several states, money that allegedly went into luxury cars, designer labels, jewelry and international getaways.
The most recent round of sentencings, which followed a string of guilty pleas in separate cases, was first detailed by the New York Daily News. Sentences were handed down between February and April, with the final guilty plea coming from Moussa Cisse on April 21.
According to the Bronx District Attorney’s Office, Souleman Traore and Cisse each received two to six years in prison, while Amadou Balde was sentenced to one to three years. Lahaji Traore and Abubacar Daffeh were each given one year behind bars, Seth Young received two months in jail plus five years of post-release supervision, and Keon Gulley was sentenced to one and a half to three years.
How The Bronx Fraud Crew Allegedly Ran The Game
Prosecutors say the fraud machine ran from April 2022 through September 2023, powered by “card cracking,” check washing and a network of fraudulent bank accounts, as reported by the Bronx Times. The defendants allegedly recruited people over social media, obtained their debit card information, deposited fake checks, then drained cash from ATMs, kicking a portion back to the account holders before instructing them to report the cards stolen.
Investigators said the group did not stop at willing recruits. They allegedly targeted people who were unhoused or struggling with substance abuse, sometimes escorting them into banks to open accounts that would later be used for fraud. In one incident, prosecutors said, Cisse forced a woman to open an account with a fraudulent check, then drove off with her children still in the car.
The case also involved an attempted theft of a $12.6 million U.S. Treasury check that was meant to fund COVID relief for a hospital. A search of Cisse’s home reportedly turned up the check itself, and investigators say they also uncovered evidence that the defendants went after deceased individuals, minors and hundreds of other victims whose checks were stolen and altered.
High-End Shopping Sprees, Lingering Losses
Prosecutors say the crew flaunted the proceeds of the scheme through shopping sprees at Louis Vuitton, Gucci, Cartier and Burberry, along with Rolex and Audemars Piguet watches that do not exactly scream subtlety. The money was also tied to trips and yacht outings in Miami, Kuwait and Paris, painting a picture of a fraud operation that functioned more like a full-time business than a quick side hustle.
The Bronx District Attorney’s Office said investigators were able to return some funds to identified victims. In many other cases, though, they could not determine the original owners of the stolen checks, leaving losses unresolved. Restitution orders ran from $5,000 for Young to $50,000 for Souleman Traore, with other defendants ordered to pay $5,200, $24,412.50, $25,000 and $30,000.
From Prison Terms To A Second Chance
Not everyone in the case ended up behind bars. Sekou Kaloka, who pleaded guilty to attempted criminal possession of a weapon, was ordered into a diversion program instead of prison. The range of outcomes reflects the different charges and plea deals across the wider case, though everyone involved remains responsible for whatever restitution the court imposed.
Bronx District Attorney Darcel Clark said the defendants “stole millions of dollars from hard working people” and took advantage of vulnerable recruits for financial gain, according to the New York Daily News. The investigation brought together the Bronx DA’s Office, the NYPD, the U.S. Secret Service and the U.S. Postal Inspection Service.
