An aspiring Los Angeles-area rapper has been arrested and charged alongside two others over an alleged multimillion-dollar scheme involving stolen and fraudulent cheques, the United States Department of Justice said.
Ada William Obayuwana, a Quartz Hill resident who performs under the names “ColdheartedAC” and “AC”, was arrested on Wednesday following a 25-count federal grand jury indictment. He is accused of being part of a group that obtained more than 50 stolen US Treasury cheques and hundreds of cheques belonging to individuals and businesses, with a combined value exceeding $8.1 million.
The other defendants are Albert Tai Vu of Westminster and Cassandra Marie Murrillo of San Diego.
Federal prosecutors allege that the scheme operated between April 2022 and December 2023, with the defendants allegedly obtaining stolen cheques, including those containing tax refunds and veterans’ and Social Security benefits.
According to the indictment, the suspects allegedly altered names and addresses on the cheques or forged endorsements before attempting to cash them at financial institutions across Southern California.
Prosecutors also accused the trio of creating bank accounts to receive the proceeds and using business documents to impersonate victims whose identities were linked to the stolen cheques. The funds were allegedly deposited into accounts at banks and credit unions across Los Angeles, Orange and San Diego counties.
Obayuwana is accused of attempting to cash at least three US Treasury tax-refund cheques worth a combined $382,109. Authorities allege that he successfully cashed one of them and withdrew $229,109.
The indictment further states that in December 2023, Obayuwana “possessed in his car in Oceanside more than 100 stolen or fraudulent checks, cumulatively worth more than $6.1 million.”
Among those allegedly found in his possession were 48 stolen Treasury cheques worth approximately $2.55 million in tax refunds, veterans’ benefits and Social Security benefits.
Investigators allege that Obayuwana successfully cashed eight of the cheques, valued at about $1.7 million.
Vu is accused of attempting to cash at least six Treasury cheques worth approximately $2.15 million. Prosecutors allege that he successfully cashed two tax-refund cheques valued at $772,159.
He is also accused of cashing two $250,000 cashier’s cheques at a bank in Anaheim. According to the indictment, he used money from one transaction to purchase a Range Rover and gave funds from the other to Murillo.
Murillo allegedly attempted to cash two cheques worth $60,193 and successfully cashed one valued at $31,405.
Obayuwana remains in federal custody following his arrest. He faces nine counts of bank fraud, three counts of delivering stolen Treasury cheques and one count of aggravated identity theft.
Vu, who was arrested on Thursday, has been charged with five counts of delivering stolen Treasury cheques, four counts of money laundering and two counts of aggravated identity theft.
Murillo, who is expected to surrender to federal authorities in Los Angeles on Monday, faces an additional charge of delivering stolen Treasury cheques.
