Victim Assistance Advisory

ANCHORAGE – Today, Senior U.S. District Judge Ralph R. Beistline issued an order directing the government to employ alternative victim notification procedures in a 31-count indictment case charging two Fairbanks men with conspiracy, bank and wire fraud, aggravated identity theft and money laundry.

According to federal court documents, Jared Post, 25, and Levi Skulstad, 26, defrauded multiple banks and individuals they viewed as vulnerable to scams between 2017 and 2021, obtaining at least $500,000. Post and Skulstad contacted individuals who they called “Plays” via social media or in person and convinced the “Play” to share their bank account information under the pretense they needed to deposit a check into the “Play’s” account. Post or Skulstad then offered the “Play” a portion of the deposited check in return for use of the “Play’s” bank account.

Once the check posted in the “Play’s” account, Post or Skulstad logged in via the “Play’s” remote banking app and withdrew or transferred the funds electronically or directed the “Play” to transfer the funds to one of them via a cash app or Western Union. In reality, the checks Post and Skulstad deposited were stolen and fraudulently altered; and they withdrew the funds prior to the bank flagging the checks as fraudulent and reversing the transaction. The involved banks, the “Plays,” and the initial victim whose checks were stolen, were left paying losses and overdraft fees while Post and Skulstad made off with the cash.

Anyone who believes they may be a victim in these schemes may contact the FBI Anchorage Field Office at 907-276-4441.

The victim-witness program of the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Alaska, provides information, services and support to individuals during federal prosecution. Case updates will be provided on the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Alaska website at https://www.justice.gov/usao-ak/case-updates. Please also be aware of these free, confidential resources that may be of assistance:

• Identity Theft Resource Center, 888-400-5530 or https://www.idtheftcenter.org/ is a non-profit organization and provides information about preventing, recovering and protecting from identity theft.

• Federal Trade Commission Identity Theft website to report identity theft and a recovery plan https://www.identitytheft.gov/#/

• Federal Trade Commission website provides consumer advice about what to do if you were scammed https://consumer.ftc.gov/articles/what-do-if-you-were-scammed.

• Federal Trade Commission webpage sharing about different types of scams https://consumer.ftc.gov/features/pass-it-on

U.S. Attorney S. Lane Tucker of the District of Alaska and Special Agent in Charge Antony Jung of the FBI’s Anchorage Field Office made today’s announcement.

An indictment is merely an allegation and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.

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