Three Fresno men charged in ‘counterfeit check cashing ring’ that stole public dollars
Three Fresno residents have been charged with conspiracy, theft of public money, and aggravated identity theft related to a counterfeit check cashing ring.
Jeffrey Michalk, 43; Steve Gomez, 40; and Michael Dugan, 48, are named as suspects in the eight-count indictment, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of California announced this week. The indictment alleges the Fresno men worked together from June 2020 until at least January 2022 to cash, “or cause to be cashed,” at least 295 counterfeit U.S. Treasury Checks worth over half a million dollars at various locations throughout the Central Valley. The checks were often written to appear to be in the names of other people.
If convicted, each defendant faces up to five years in prison and a $250,000 fine for the conspiracy charge, up to 10 years in prison and a $250,000 fine for the theft of money charge, and a mandatory minimum consecutive two years in prison for the aggravated identity theft charges.
The case is the result of an investigation by the office of the U.S. Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration. Assistant U.S. Attorney Alexandre Dempsey is prosecuting the case.
