Four people, including a former Yazoo City police officer, were charged with orchestrating a large-scale wire fraud ring that involves 14 more individuals.
Terry Gann, chief investigator with the Yazoo County Sheriff’s Department, said the ring claimed nearly $20,000 in stolen funds, and more people could be charged as the investigation continues.
Bryan Childress, Jennifer Crozier, Noah Combs and Michael Hagar were charged with wire fraud. Crozier is a former Yazoo City police officer.
There were also 16 more people charged in connection with the wire fraud ring. There is a total of 14 people charged with conspiracy to commit wire fraud.
Hasheema Sibley and Bethany Whitworth were both charged with accessory to wire fraud.
“This investigation began with Childress, who we believe was the one who began stealing bank account information from the victims’ mailboxes,” Gann said. “He was also seen by one the victim’s family members around the mailbox, and he has been arrested in Madison County for doing the same thing.”
Gann said once the victims’ banking account information was collected, it was used to pay off bills ranging from utility bills to insurance policies.
“People were told if they paid $200, their light bill of $800 would be paid,” Gann said. “The stolen information was being used to pay off the bills, and the $200 was being pocketed.”
Gann said the payments were mostly made to the Public Service Commission. But there were insurance policies and phone bills also paid.
Gann said he believes Childress was the ring leader of the operation. He said Crozier, Combs and Hagar would solicit people to approach Childress as part of the scam. Hagar was even able to transfer funds out of the victims’ accounts into a personal investment account, Gann added.
“Since the investigation began, we have also discovered some of the individuals we charged with conspiracy to commit wire fraud were also victims themselves. They didn’t know it was happening to them too.”
Gann said the ring has been in operation since September, and its claims are in the $20,000 range.
“There will be more charges with this case,” Gann said. “It is not over yet.”
