On June 29, 2020, in the Central District of California, Angelo Phoenix pled guilty to bank fraud for his role in a scheme involving stolen United States Treasury checks. Phoenix was initially charged in a nine-count indictment issued on December 6, 2019.

According to the court documents, during an unknown period ending in November 2019, Phoenix executed a scheme to defraud several banks. First, Phoenix obtained stolen Internal Revenue Service (IRS) tax refund checks issued to at least 36 victims. He then opened bank accounts in the names of some of the victims, without their knowledge or permission, and deposited the stolen checks. Phoenix also altered some of the stolen checks so they appeared to list himself as a payee and then deposited those checks into bank accounts in his own name. The overall scheme had an intended loss (that is, the amount of pecuniary harm Phoenix intended to inflict) of more than $150,000.

At sentencing, Phoenix faces up to 30 years' imprisonment; a five-year period of supervised release; a fine of $1,000,000, or twice the gross gain or loss, whichever is greater; restitution to the victims; and a mandatory special assessment of $100. Sentencing is scheduled for October 9, 2020.

Source:  The facts in this case narrative come from the following publicly available documents: C.D. Cal., Indict., filed Dec. 06, 2019; C.D. Cal., Plea Agr., filed May 20, 2020; and C.D. Cal., Dock. Rep., run Aug. 03, 2020.