Home Cleveland Press Releases 2009 Two Ohio Residents Charged with Bank and Wire Fraud
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Two Ohio Residents Charged with Bank and Wire Fraud

U.S. Attorney’s Office March 18, 2009
  • Northern District of Ohio (216) 622-3600

William J. Edwards, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Ohio, announced today that an information has been filed against Robin Y. Ferrell-Hildreth and Cecelia E. Smith, charging them with ten counts of wire fraud and one count of bank fraud. According to court records, Robin Ferrell-Hildreth, age 37, resides in Twinsburg, Ohio; and Cecelia E. Smith, age 42, resides in Northfield, Ohio.

The information alleges that Ferrell-Hildreth and Smith conspired to purchase high-price vehicles from various dealerships throughout Ohio, Michigan, and Texas. The information further alleges that, in order to obtain credit for these vehicles, they created two sham or front companies of which they claimed to be owners and employees. These companies, Progressive Custom Homes and Profitable Corporation Solutions, had no legitimate business activities or operations. The information alleges that Ferrell-Hildreth and Smith provided dealerships with fictitious financial information showing them to be the CFO, CEO, or employees of one of these sham companies, misrepresenting their actual income in order to receive financing to obtain these vehicles. According to the information, Ferrell-Hildreth and Smith visited automobile dealerships, selected new and high-priced vehicles, provided fictitious personal and financial information, and took possession of the vehicles with no intent to pay for them.

If convicted, the defendants’ sentences will be determined by the Court after review of factors unique to this case, including the defendants’ prior criminal record, if any, the defendants’ role in the offense and the characteristics of the violation. In all cases the sentences will not exceed the statutory maximum and in most cases it will be less than the maximum.

This case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Vasile C. Katsaros, following an investigation by the Cleveland Office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation.

An information is only a charge and is not evidence of guilt. A defendant is entitled to a fair trial in which it will be the government’s burden to prove guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.
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