Bronx Resident Pleads Guilty in Conspiracy Targeting Credit Unions

From the U.S. Attorney’s Office, Northern District of New York

ALBANY, NEW YORK – Jerjuan Joyner, age 49, of the Bronx, New York, pled guilty today for his role in a bank fraud conspiracy that targeted credit unions all over the country since at least December 2021. United States Attorney Carla B. Freedman and Craig L. Tremaroli, Special Agent in Charge of the Albany Field Office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), made the announcement.

Joyner admitted that between at least December 2021 and April 2023, he was a member of a nationwide bank fraud conspiracy that targeted credit unions insured by the National Credit Union Share Insurance Fund. Many of the credit unions were members of a shared branching network, which allowed customers of member credit unions to withdraw funds from their accounts at other member credit unions by presenting an identification with their photograph, their account number, and the last four digits of their Social Security number. The network was designed to allow customers of localized credit unions easier access to their accounts when traveling throughout the country. However, according to the plea agreement, the conspirators exploited this network by creating fake identifications in the names of real credit union customers, but with photographs of other individuals, who conducted fraudulent transactions at shared branch member credit unions all over the country in exchange for drugs or a small portion of the stolen funds.

Joyner pled guilty today to conspiracy to commit bank fraud. He admitted that he was recruited by senior members of the conspiracy to drive individuals to credit unions in the Northern District of New York and elsewhere to fraudulently withdraw cash from customers’ accounts. Joyner admitted that the trips he drove resulted in fraudulent withdrawals of $120,998, with an additional nearly $15,000 in attempted fraudulent withdrawals.

When Joyner is sentenced by United States District Judge Mae A. D’Agostino, in Albany on October 22, 2024, he faces up to 30 years in prison, a term of supervised release of up to 5 years, and a fine of up to $1 million. Joyner will also be ordered to pay restitution in the amount of $120,998 to the victims of his crimes.

Joyner’s plea resolves the charges against him in a federal indictment returned last December. The indictment charges an additional 7 individuals with their roles in the bank fraud conspiracy, which allegedly involves more than $1 million in total losses.

The charges in the indictment are merely accusations as to the remaining defendants. The remaining defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.

FBI Albany is investigating the case, with assistance from the FBI Field Offices in New York and Newark, and Resident Agencies in Westchester, New York; Garrett Mountain, New Jersey; and Fort Walton Beach, Florida. Additional assistance was provided by other law enforcement agencies, including Immigration and Customs Enforcement – Enforcement & Removal Operations (New York Field Office & Albany sub-office); U.S. Department of State Diplomatic Security Service (Buffalo Field Office & St. Albans Resident Office); U.S. Social Security Administration – Office of the Inspector General, the New York State Police; Cohoes Police Department; Colonie Police Department; Elmira Police Department; Corning Police Department; Plattsburgh Police Department; Florida law enforcement agencies including the Okaloosa County Sheriff’s Office and Escambia County Sheriff’s Office; law enforcement agencies in New Hampshire, including the Rochester Police Department, Manchester Police Department, Amherst Police Department; the Norwich, CT Police Department; law enforcement agencies in Massachusetts, including the Springfield, MA Police Department; the Pennsylvania State Police; the Delaware State Police; and law enforcement agencies in Maryland, including the Harford County Sheriff’s Office and Baltimore County Sheriff’s Office.

Assistant United States Attorney Benjamin S. Clark is prosecuting this case.

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