Three Charged in Alleged $8.1M Stolen Treasury Check Scheme

Updated September 1, 2026

Federal prosecutors have charged three defendants in an alleged stolen-check scheme involving more than 50 U.S. Treasury checks and hundreds of other checks with a combined face value exceeding $8.1 million. The Treasury checks included tax refunds, veterans’ benefits and Social Security benefits. The August 28, 2026 indictment contains allegations, not findings of guilt, and no case-specific restitution or victim claims program has been announced.

What Happened

The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Central District of California announced the indictment on August 28.

The 25-count federal grand-jury indictment charges Ada William Obayuwana, 31, also known as “ColdheartedAC” and “AC,” Albert Tai Vu, 28, and Cassandra Marie Murrillo, 31.

All three defendants are charged with bank-fraud counts. Additional Treasury-check, money-laundering and aggravated-identity-theft charges apply to particular defendants.

According to prosecutors, the defendants illegally obtained and possessed stolen checks between at least April 2022 and December 2023 and then cashed or attempted to cash some of those instruments through banks and credit unions in Los Angeles, Orange and San Diego counties.

The investigation involves the Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration, IRS Criminal Investigation and the U.S. Postal Inspection Service.

What Prosecutors Allege About the Checks

DOJ says the defendants allegedly possessed more than 50 stolen U.S. Treasury checks along with hundreds of other checks belonging to individuals and businesses.

The stolen Treasury checks allegedly included federal tax refunds, veterans’ benefits and Social Security Administration benefits.

Prosecutors allege endorsements were forged or names and addresses were altered to facilitate the theft and negotiation of checks.

The government also alleges that bank accounts were opened to receive fraudulently transferred funds and that business documents mimicking victims’ identifying information were sometimes used when attempting to negotiate stolen checks.

What the $8.1 Million Figure Actually Means

The government’s headline amount requires careful interpretation.

DOJ says the stolen or fraudulent checks possessed, cashed or attempted to be cashed in the alleged scheme had a combined value exceeding $8.1 million.

That figure is not the same as an established loss amount, money successfully withdrawn or a restitution fund available to consumers.

Some checks were allegedly possessed or presented but not successfully cashed.

Allegations Involving Ada William Obayuwana

DOJ alleges that between April 2022 and December 2023, Obayuwana attempted to cash at least three Treasury tax-refund checks with a combined value of approximately $382,109.

According to prosecutors, one of those checks was successfully cashed, resulting in approximately $229,109 being withdrawn from funds held by financial institutions.

In December 2023, prosecutors say Obayuwana possessed more than 100 stolen or fraudulent checks in a vehicle in Oceanside. Those checks allegedly had a combined value exceeding $6.1 million.

The collection allegedly included 48 stolen U.S. Treasury checks worth approximately $2.56 million in tax refunds, veterans’ benefits and Social Security benefits.

DOJ says eight checks from the collection were successfully cashed for approximately $1.70 million.

Allegations Involving Albert Tai Vu

Prosecutors allege Vu attempted to cash at least six Treasury checks with a combined value of approximately $2.15 million.

DOJ says two tax-refund checks worth a combined $772,159 were successfully cashed.

Vu also faces money-laundering allegations. Prosecutors say that in April 2023 he executed two $250,000 cashier’s checks using funds allegedly derived from unlawful activity.

Allegations Involving Cassandra Marie Murrillo

DOJ alleges that Murrillo attempted to cash at least two checks with a combined value of $60,193.

One of those checks, worth $31,405, allegedly was successfully cashed.

These defendant-specific figures are parts of the broader alleged scheme and should not simply be added together to create a new loss total because some figures concern overlapping groups of checks, possession, attempted negotiation or successful cashing.

What Charges Were Filed

According to the Justice Department, the three defendants are charged collectively with nine counts of bank fraud.

Obayuwana also faces three counts involving stolen Treasury checks and one count of aggravated identity theft.

Vu additionally faces five Treasury-check counts, four money-laundering counts and two aggravated-identity-theft counts.

Murrillo faces an additional Treasury-check count.

An Indictment Is Not a Conviction

A federal indictment is a charging document.

It reflects allegations that prosecutors will have to prove in court. All three defendants are presumed innocent unless and until guilt is proved beyond a reasonable doubt.

The indictment therefore should not be described as establishing that the defendants stole $8.1 million or caused $8.1 million in final losses.

No Case-Specific Refund Program Has Been Announced

The August 28 DOJ announcement does not create a public restitution fund, claims website, victim-payment schedule or filing deadline.

A person whose federal payment is missing should not wait for the criminal prosecution to determine whether the payment can be traced or replaced.

The correct process depends on which federal agency authorized the payment and whether the check was lost, stolen, altered or already cashed.

What to Do if an IRS Refund Check Is Missing

The IRS says taxpayers with a lost or stolen refund check can initiate a refund trace.

Start with the IRS refund service and confirm that the refund was issued and the expected delivery period has passed.

For a current-year refund filed as single, married filing separately or head of household, the IRS allows a refund trace through its refund tracker or automated hotline at 800-829-1954.

A taxpayer who filed married filing jointly generally cannot use the automated system for the trace. The IRS directs joint filers to call 800-829-1040 or use Form 3911 as instructed.

If the original check was not cashed, the IRS says it can cancel the check and issue the refund by other means.

If the check was cashed, the Bureau of the Fiscal Service may provide a claim package containing a copy of the negotiated check. The signature and claim then must be reviewed before a replacement determination is made.

What to Do if a Social Security Payment Is Missing

For an expected electronic Social Security payment that does not arrive on the scheduled date, the Social Security Administration recommends contacting the bank or financial institution first.

If the issue remains unresolved, beneficiaries can contact SSA at 1-800-772-1213 or contact their local Social Security office.

SSA says it will review a late, missing or stolen payment and replace it if the agency determines the payment is due.

What to Do if a Veterans Benefit Check Is Missing

Treasury’s Payment Integrity and Resolution Services directs recipients of missing federal payments to the agency that authorized the payment.

For Department of Veterans Affairs payments, Treasury currently lists 800-827-1000.

The issuing agency begins the claims process for a lost, stolen or misdirected federal check.

Do not call a number supplied in an unsolicited text, email or social-media message claiming to help recover a government payment. Verify the contact through an official .gov website.

Report Suspected Mail Theft

If a Treasury check or other payment may have been stolen from the mail, the U.S. Postal Inspection Service accepts reports of mail theft and other mail-related crimes.

USPIS currently lists 1-877-876-2455 for mail-theft reports.

What to Do After Suspected Check Theft or Identity Misuse

1. Contact the paying agency. Report the missing payment and ask for the appropriate trace or check-claims process.
2. Record the case information. Keep confirmation numbers, dates, names and copies of correspondence.
3. Contact the financial institution when relevant. Report unauthorized deposits, forged endorsements or suspicious account activity.
4. Preserve evidence. Save check images, envelopes, mail notices, bank alerts and agency letters.
5. Report suspected mail theft. Use the U.S. Postal Inspection Service’s official reporting channel.
6. Address identity theft separately. If personal or financial information was misused, use IdentityTheft.gov to create a recovery plan.

Do not post complete Treasury checks, Social Security numbers, benefit identifiers or financial-account information publicly while seeking help.

Bottom Line

Federal prosecutors have charged three defendants in an alleged scheme involving more than $8.1 million in stolen or fraudulent checks, including more than 50 U.S. Treasury checks containing tax refunds, Social Security benefits and veterans’ benefits.

The $8.1 million figure represents the alleged combined face value of checks involved in the case. It is not an established consumer-loss total or refund pool.

The defendants remain presumed innocent. Consumers who are missing a federal payment should use the issuing agency’s official trace or claims process now rather than waiting for the criminal case to conclude.