DOJ says incarcerated man pleads guilty to additional charges, bank fraud conspiracy

PROVIDENCE, R.I. (WLNE) — United States Attorney Zachary Cunha said a Central Falls man, who is currently incarcerated related to separate charges, pled guilty to a charge of bank fraud conspiracy in court on Monday.

28-year-old Ryan DaCruz admitted that between February 2022 to May 2023, he deposited checks that were stolen by accomplices into bank accounts he controlled at four separate Rhode Island banks, according to the Department of Justice.

According to the courts, DaCruz would change the payee name on the checks to his own and deposit them into his accounts, which he would immediately empty through money transfers and cash withdrawals.

When the bank would recognize the checks were fake, DaCruz’s accounts would be closed, which resulted in him opening another account at a different bank.

According to the DOJ, in some cases, the banks were able to stop the payments before the funds were depleted.

In total, the banks lost an estimated $46,000.

DaCruz is scheduled to be sentenced for his bank fraud conspiracy charge on March 11.

In August 2024, DaCruz was sentenced to two years in federal prison for being a felon in possession of ammunition.