INDIANAPOLIS — An Indianapolis man was sentenced to 46 months in federal prison for using fraudulent checks to purchase luxury vehicles and jewelry.
Frank Lassen Garay, 45, pleaded guilty to bank fraud after passing fifteen fraudulent checks in just over two weeks in late 2022.
Court documents reveal that Garay received a legitimate settlement check for $15,066.95 from a law firm in the fall of 2022. On November 3, 2022, he cashed this check at a bank, receiving $10,000 in cash and a cashier’s check for the remaining $5,066.95. Using the banking information from these checks, Garay created multiple fraudulent checks and engaged in a shopping spree for various items, including luxury vehicles and jewelry.
The fraudulent purchases made by Garay are as follows:
- November 18, 2022: Cleaning Services - $486.93
- November 18, 2022: 2013 Lincoln MKT - $12,500
- November 25, 2022: 2008 BMW 335 XI - $12,500
- November 29, 2022: SRT8 - $23,710.13
- November 30, 2022: 2010 Lincoln Navigator - $13,000
- November 30, 2022: BMW - $16,000
- November 30, 2022: 2015 BMW - $19,500.79
- December 1, 2022: Lincoln MKT - $14,906.93
- December 2, 2022: 2013 GMC Sierra - $40,820.79
- December 2, 2022: White gold necklace/bracelet set - $16,253.30
- December 3, 2022: 2012 Acura TL - $17,677.51
- December 5, 2022: 2015 Chevrolet Silverado 2500 - $38,858.47
- December 6, 2022: 2022 Forest River Trailer - $34,885.25
- December 6, 2022: 2019 Honda Accord - $20,595.40
- December 7, 2022: 2023 Nexus Triumph RV - $107,000
Garay did not conceal his identity during these transactions; he used his real driver’s license, signature, and fingerprints to finalize the purchases. In many cases, businesses only discovered the checks were fraudulent after Garay had already left with the items.
With a history of fraudulent activity spanning over 15 years, Garay has prior convictions for theft, receiving stolen property, fraud, and forgery.
John E. Childress, Acting United States Attorney for the Southern District of Indiana, commented, “In less than a month, Garay went on a buying spree that would put even the most brazen car thief to shame. Complex economic crimes such as these devastate the finances and security of businesses and individuals.”
Ike Barnes, Special Agent in Charge of the U.S. Secret Service Indianapolis Field Office, highlighted the impact of financial fraud, stating, “It has real-life victims, and these law-abiding citizens were defrauded of thousands of dollars.”
The investigation was led by the U.S. Secret Service with assistance from the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Indiana.
