Former Bank Employee Charged with Making False Statements in Fraud Investigation

TALLAHASSEE, FL—A federal grand jury returned an indictment charging Jocelyn Tannazy John (41) of Opa Locka, Florida, with making false statements to agents of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, announced United States Attorney Thomas F. Kirwin, Northern District of Florida.

The single-count indictment alleges that on or about December 17, 2008, while employed with Regions Bank, John made materially false statements to agents of the Federal Bureau of Investigation regarding a scheme to defraud the state of Florida of approximately $5.7 million in state funds by Ali Hassan Hammoud. The crime was uncovered following the convictions of Hammoud on four counts of wire fraud and one count of aggravated identity theft, for which Hammoud was sentenced to 109 months in federal prison. During the investigation of Hammoud, John denied receiving any money or anything of value from Hammoud while employed with Regions Bank, when, in fact, she had received $1,000 from Hammoud via a Regions Bank counter check that John deposited into her personal checking account. Subsequent investigation disclosed that John accepted the $1,000 from Hammoud while completing international wire transfers, cashiers checks, and cash withdrawals involving the stolen state funds.

If convicted, John faces a maximum of five years’ imprisonment.

Mr. Kirwin praised the efforts of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Florida Department of Law Enforcement, and the United States Customs and Border Protection whose joint investigation led to the indictment. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Jason Coody.

An indictment is merely a formal charge that a defendant has committed a violation of federal criminal law, and every defendant is presumed innocent until, and unless, proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.