Three men get prison sentences in check cashing scheme involving homeless men
A federal judge in Kansas City sentenced three men to prison Tuesday for their role in a conspiracy to use homeless men to cash counterfeit checks at Kansas City area banks.
The men were part of a scheme that passed more than $400,000 in counterfeit checks in late 2012 and early 2013. Crews, largely working from Atlanta, passed more than $8 million in such checks nationwide, prosecutors and investigators said.
Truly Matthews, 48, of Atlanta, received a sentence of 10 years and four months in prison and was ordered to pay $62,861 in restitution. Gary Merritt, 55, of Kansas City, Kan., was sentenced to five years and ordered to pay $239,092 in restitution. Calvin Almond, 47, of Atlanta, received two years and 11 months in prison and was ordered to pay $57,772 in restitution.
| Mark Morris, mmorris@kcstar.com
This story was originally published January 27, 2015 at 4:54 PM with the headline "Three men get prison sentences in check cashing scheme involving homeless men."