Eight people charged in scheme that defrauded Fox Communities Credit Union out of nearly $200,000

Eight people have been charged in connection to a large-scale fraud scheme targeting local credit unions.

Here's what to know about the case.

Who is charged?

Deandre Mackontee, 25, of Allouez; Demetrius King Jr., 26, of Green Bay; Brad Porter, 50, of Oneida; Trivian Walton, 25, of Green Bay; Cornelius Steele, 28, of Bellevue; Stacy Swille, 42, of Green Bay; Dion Crawford, 57, of Milwaukee; and Shayne Rudolph, 51, of Green Bay.

What are the charges?

Mackontee and King are charged in Brown County with:

• Organizing financial crimes, a felony.
• Money laundering - knowingly receive or acquire proceeds $10,000 to $100,000, as a party to a crime, a felony.
• Fraud against a financial institution, value $10,000 to $100,000, as a party to a crime, a felony.

Porter is charged in Brown County with:

• Organizing financial crimes, a felony.
• Money laundering - knowingly receive or acquire proceeds $5,000 to $10,000, as a party to a crime, a felony.
• Fraud against a financial institution, value $500 to $10,000, as a party to a crime, a felony.

Walton and Crawford are charged in Brown County with:

• Fraud against a financial institution, value $500 to $10,000, as a party to a crime, a felony.
• Money laundering - knowingly receive proceeds $2,500 to $5,000, as a party to a crime, a felony.

Steele and Swille are charged in Brown County with:

• Fraud against a financial institution, value $500 to $10,000, as a party to a crime, a felony.
• Money laundering - knowingly receive proceeds $5,000 to $10,000, as a party to a crime, a felony.

Rudolph is charged in Brown County with:

• Two counts of fraud against a financial institution, value $500 to $10,000, as a party to a crime, a felony.
• Money laundering - knowingly receive proceeds $5,000 to $10,000, as a party to a crime, a felony.
• Money laundering - knowingly receive proceeds $2,500 and under, as a party to a crime, a felony.

What happened?

The Brown County Sheriff's Office investigated a large-scale fraud scheme targeting local credit unions, according to a criminal complaint. Between Oct. 17, 2024, and Nov. 19, 2024, several Fox Communities Credit Union members provided online banking information to scammers posing as representatives of the credit union's fraud team, the complaint said.

According to the complaint, Fox Communities Credit Union lost a total of $192,195.80 after reimbursing victims. Community First Credit Union lost $23,144.45 to the same scam, the complaint said.

After gaining access to a member's account, the scammer would transfer funds to one of 27 suspects identified in the investigation, the complaint said. Once the funds were deposited, the suspects quickly withdrew or moved the money through ATMs, additional transfers or purchases.

Investigators described the scheme as "a coordinated and systematic attack on numerous financial institutions" by "the same criminal enterprise." A large portion of the stolen money was turned over to "leadership within the criminal enterprise," the complaint said.

According to several criminal complaints:

• Mackontee served as a principal local organizer of a criminal enterprise responsible for defrauding credit unions. Mackontee recruited "money mules" and co-conspirators through Facebook. He targeted individuals looking to make quick money and instructed them to open accounts at FCCU, CFCU and Capital Credit Union "for the sole purpose of facilitating fraudulent financial transactions." Mackontee kept a large portion of the stolen money, typically paying the money mules "a small percentage."
• In a July 10 interview with investigators, Mackontee initially denied any involvement in the scheme but eventually demonstrated knowledge of it. He suggested he was recruited by another man who acted as an intermediary between a Chicago-based organizer and local organizers.
• On Oct. 21, 2024, Walton opened a new checking account through FCCU. The next day, a man fell victim to a phone scam in which he believed he was speaking to FCCU, resulting in a suspicious login to his online banking account. The victim had $4,750 transferred from his account to Walton's account and on Oct. 23, Walton withdrew a total of $4,747.61. In an interview with investigators, Walton denied knowing the victim or how the money was put into his account.
• On Oct. 23, 2024, King opened a new checking account through FCCU. The next day, $3,500.10 was transferred from a scam victim's account to King's and King withdrew $3,504.35. King told investigators he was recruited by Mackontee through Facebook. Investigators believe King recruited multiple other people to the fraud scheme, including Steele.
• On Oct. 24, 2024, Steele opened a new checking account through FCCU. The same day, $3,520 was transferred from a victim's account to Steele's. On Oct. 25, another $3,501 was transferred from the victim to Steele's account and Steele withdrew $6,039.95. Steele told investigators that he didn't know where the money in his account came from, but "they said that it was a quick way" to make money.
• On Nov. 5, 2024, Porter opened a checking account through FCCU. Over the next two days, $7,100 was transferred from a victim's account to Porter's. Porter withdrew $7,101.11 from the account over multiple days. He also accompanied multiple suspected money mules to open new FCCU accounts. Investigators believe he recruited other people to the scheme.
• On Nov. 18, 2024, Swille opened a checking account through FCCU. By the next day, two $3,500 transfers were made from the Hmong New Life Church's account to Swille's. Between Nov. 18 and 19, Swille withdrew $6,775.73. Swille told detectives Porter asked her to open the account and claimed she was pressured into doing it.
• On Nov. 16, 2024, Crawford opened a checking account through FCCU. On Nov. 18, $3,500 was transferred from the Hmong New Life Church's account to Crawford's. Crawford attempted to withdraw $3,500 but the account was frozen. The money was able to be returned to the church and did not result in a loss for FCCU.
• Rudolph had been an FCCU member since 2023. Between Nov. 20 and 21, 2024, $7,000 was transferred from a victim's account to Rudolph's. On Nov. 21, Rudolph withdrew $6,690.
• On Nov. 29, 2024, Rudolph opened accounts through CFCU. On Dec. 8, 2024, $1,410.35 was transferred from a victim's account to Rudolph's and Rudolph withdrew $1,375.

What's next?

According to court records:

• Mackontee is in custody at Brown County Jail on a $5,000 bail and will return to court July 25 for a status conference.
• King is in custody at Fox Lake Correctional Institution and returns to court Sept. 10 for a status conference.
• Porter is in custody at Dodge Correctional Institution and returns to court July 18 for a status conference.
• Walton is in custody at Waupun Correctional Institution and returns to court July 17 for a status conference.
• Steele is in custody at Brown County Jail and returns to court Sept. 17 for a status conference.
• Swille is scheduled to make her initial appearance in court July 24.
• Crawford is scheduled to make his initial appearance in court July 24.
• Rudolph pleaded no contest May 23 to one count of money laundering and one count of fraud. He is in custody at Dodge Correctional Institution serving a two-year sentence.

Vivian Barrett is the public safety reporter for the Green Bay Press-Gazette. You can reach her at [email protected] or (920) 431-8314. Follow her on X, formerly Twitter, at @vivianbarrett_.

This article originally appeared on Green Bay Press-Gazette: Eight people charged in scheme that defrauded Fox Communities Credit Union out of nearly $200,000