Kansas City, Missouri – A 22-year-old former resident of Kansas City, Fremon Reaves Jr., has pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit bank fraud in a case that targeted two local financial institutions and involved exploiting unsuspecting social media users.
Appearing before U.S. Magistrate Judge Jill A. Morris, Reaves admitted to his role in a scheme that ran from April to September 2022, which used fake checks and stolen account information to attempt to extract nearly $400,000—causing actual losses of approximately $90,000.
According to court documents, the conspiracy involved luring social media users—many of whom were unaware of the scam—into handing over their debit cards and PINs. Reaves and co-conspirator Gerald Humphreys Jr. would then deposit fraudulent checks into the victims’ accounts and rapidly withdraw funds through cash withdrawals, debit card purchases, and mobile apps like Cash App before the fraud was detected.
Surveillance footage captured both men making deposits with checks that shared identical formatting and check stock, helping investigators link them to the fraud.
The affected banks were insured by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC), a factor that could increase the severity of sentencing under federal law.
Reaves now faces up to 30 years in prison, with sentencing to be determined after a presentence investigation and consideration of federal guidelines. His co-defendant, Humphreys, pleaded guilty on March 28 and is also awaiting sentencing.
The case was brought to light after a vigilant bank investigator flagged suspicious activity, prompting a deeper probe by the Kansas City branch of the FBI.
This case highlights the growing trend of financial scams exploiting social media platforms, where vulnerable individuals are manipulated into unknowingly assisting in white-collar crimes.
