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Multiple defendants were sentenced in connection with charges contained in a 50-count, 2^nd Superseding Indictment alleging various forms of bank fraud, wire fraud, conspiracy and perjury, according to an October 22 press release from the U.S. Attorney’s Office, Eastern District of North Carolina.

The indictment charges that defendant Michael Griffin (“MGriffin”), operating from his business location in Raleigh and home in Knightdale, accepted fees from clients for alleged credit repair services. The indictment alleges that, in reality, Griffin was creating fictitious credit profiles and fraudulently altering client credit data through the use of fictitious police reports.

The indictment further charges that various defendants – many of whom were family – conspired with MGriffin to defraud Synchrony Bank, a Lowe’s credit card provider, by opening credit accounts in the name of fraudulent identities, cashing out the accounts through prepaid card purchases and then defaulting on the credit accounts. The indictment also charges various defendants with similar frauds against other banks, including Capital One and Discover.

Regina Griffin (MGriffin’s sister), 49, of Raleigh, and a former real estate agent, pleaded guilty to Count 29 of the 2^nd Superseding Indictment, which charged false statement to influence a bank on a loan, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 1014. The offense occurred between February 11, 2019 and March 19, 2019 and involved Alcova Mortgage, LLC, according to the release. On Wednesday, October 20, 2021, the court sentenced Regina Griffin to 14 months in prison, followed by three years of supervised release. She was also ordered to make restitution of $70,606.72.

Sharon Annita Edmond (MGriffin’s sister), 57, of Raleigh, and an online pastor, pleaded guilty to Count 25 of the 2^nd Superseding Indictment, which charged wire fraud and aiding and abetting, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Sections 1343 and 2. The offense occurred on or about April 16, 2018 and involved Strategic Funding Partners, doing business as Merchant Cash Group, according to the release. On Wednesday, October 20, 2021, the court sentenced Sharon Edmond to 12 months in prison, followed by three years of supervised release. She was also ordered to make restitution of $36,204.

Creshun Alexandria Griffin (MGriffin’s daughter), 27, of Knightdale, pleaded guilty to Count 16 of the 2^nd Superseding Indictment, which charged bank fraud and aiding and abetting, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Sections 1344 and 2. The offense occurred between August 11, 2017 and December 31, 2018 and involved Capital One Bank, according to the release. On Wednesday, October 20, 2021, the court sentenced Creshun Griffin to 30 days in custody, followed by two years of supervised release and 200 hours of community service. She was also ordered to make restitution of $8,406.51.

Katina Griffin Perry (MGriffin’s sister), 48, of Raleigh, pleaded guilty to Count 27 of the 2^nd Superseding Indictment, which charged wire fraud, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 1343. The offense occurred between August 21, 2017 and September 19, 2017 and involved Kia Motor Finance, according to the release. On Wednesday, October 20, 2021, the court sentenced Katina Perry to two years of probation and 50 hours of community service.

Harvey Griffin (MGriffin’s brother), 47, of Raleigh, pleaded guilty to Count 11 of the 2^nd Superseding Indictment, which charged bank fraud and aiding and abetting, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Sections 1344 and 2. The offense occurred between October of 2017 and January of 2018 and involved Synchrony Bank, according to the release. On Wednesday, October 20, 2021, the court sentenced Harvey Griffin to time served plus three years of supervised release. He was also ordered to make restitution of $7,609.75.

Angela Griffin (MGriffin’s wife), 53, of Knightdale, pleaded guilty to Count 13 of the 2^nd Superseding Indictment, which charged bank fraud and aiding and abetting, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Sections 1344 and 2. The offense occurred between November 21, 2017 and December 21, 2017 and involved Synchrony Bank, according to the release. The court sentenced Angela Griffin on October 22, 2021 to 12 months confinement and five years of supervised release. She was also ordered to make restitution of $9,614.31.

Melvin Griffin (MGriffin’s brother), 45, of Knightdale, pleaded guilty to Count 18 of the 2^nd Superseding Indictment, which charged bank fraud and aiding and abetting, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Sections 1344 and 2. The offense occurred between October 5, 2017 and August 31, 2018 and involved Discover Bank, according to the release. The court sentenced Melvin Griffin on October 22, 2021 to six months confinement plus three years of supervised release. He was also ordered to make restitution of $42,861.98.

Jasmine Mariah Davis, 29, of Lakeland, Fla., pleaded guilty to Count 11 of the 2^nd Superseding Indictment, which charged bank fraud and aiding and abetting, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Sections 1344 and 2. The offense occurred between October of 2017 and February of 2018 and involved Synchrony Bank, according to the release. The court sentenced Jasmine Davis on October 22, 2021 to three months confinement plus three years of supervised release. She was also ordered to make restitution of $69,502.71.

Tyrone Edmonds, 47, of Weldon, pleaded guilty on February 8, 2021 to Count 6, which charged bank fraud and aiding and abetting, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Sections 1344 and 2.  The offense occurred between July of 2017 and August of 2021 and involved Synchrony Bank, according to the release. The court sentenced Tyrone Edmonds on October 22, 2021 to time served and three years of supervised release. He was also ordered to make restitution of $12,407.86.

In January of this year, Shawn Allen Farmer, 52, of Cary, also named in the Second Superseding Indictment, pleaded guilty to bank fraud and aiding and abetting, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Sections 1344 and 2 and making false claims, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 287, according to the release. In May of 2021, the court sentenced Shawn Farmer to 15 months in prison and ordered him to pay $42,783 in restitution.

Additional defendants Michael Griffin and Jasper Deonta Goodman have also pleaded guilty but have not yet been sentenced. The maximum punishment for committing bank fraud and conspiracy to commit bank fraud, violations of Title 18, United States Code, Sections 1344 and 1349, is not more than 30 years in prison. The maximum punishment for wire fraud, a violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 1343, is not more than 20 years imprisonment. The maximum punishment for making a false statement to a bank on a loan is not more than 30 years in prison.

G. Norman Acker III, acting U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of North Carolina, made the announcement. The investigation was conducted by the Internal Revenue Service Criminal Investigation with the assistance of the United States Marshals Service and the United States Postal Inspection Service. Assistant United States Attorney William M. Gilmore represents the United States.

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