NEW HAVEN, Conn. (WSVN) – A Miami man pleaded guilty in a New Haven federal court Tuesday to conspiracy to commit bank fraud, stemming from his role in a scheme that defrauded Zelle users of over $250,000, officials said.
According to court documents, Kader Gahmaal Biwaki Edmond, 24, and his accomplices targeted victims by sending fraudulent text messages posing as bank representatives.
Victims were reportedly tricked into thinking their Zelle transactions were unauthorized and instructed to reverse the transactions.
Unknowingly, victims transferred money to accounts controlled by the fraudsters.
The scheme, which reportedly ran from February 2021 through August 2023, affected numerous individuals, including several in Connecticut.
Edmond was arrested on August 31, 2023, and is released on a $100,000 bond pending his sentencing on August 14, 2024 in Hartford.
He faces a maximum prison term of 30 years.
