Florida Man Sentenced in Baltimore Fraud Scheme Involving the Online Purchase of Gold and Silver Coins

BALTIMORE—U.S. District Judge Catherine C. Blake sentenced Tasleem Ekun, age 36, of Sunny Isles Beach, Florida, today to two years in prison, followed by one year of supervised release, for bank fraud and aggravated identity theft.

The sentence was announced by United States Attorney for the District of Maryland Rod J. Rosenstein; Special Agent in Charge Stephen E. Vogt of the Federal Bureau of Investigation; Baltimore City State’s Attorney Gregg L. Bernstein; Colonel Marcus L. Brown, Superintendent of the Maryland State Police; and Commissioner Anthony W. Batts of the Baltimore Police Department.

According to his plea agreement, from January to October 2011, Ekun fraudulently used another individual’s Discover credit card to purchase gold coins online. While investigating a drug trafficking organization, FBI agents overheard Ekun talking with co-defendant Roy Clay on the phone about a scheme to fraudulently purchase between $70,000 and $120,000 of gold and silver coins online and have them shipped, via U.S. Postal Service, to locations in Baltimore.

Following his conviction on drug trafficking charges, Judge Blake sentenced Roy Lee Clay, age 47, of Baltimore, on August 27, 2013, to life in prison, for conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute heroin, enhancing Clay’s sentence based upon two previous drug trafficking convictions. The government has moved to dismiss this bank fraud case against Clay.

United States Attorney Rod J. Rosenstein commended the FBI, Baltimore Police Department, Maryland State Police, and Baltimore City State’s Attorney’s Office for their work in this investigation. Mr. Rosenstein thanked Assistant United States Attorneys Ayn B. Ducao and Christopher J. Romano, who prosecuted this case.