Case 0:23-cr-60247-AMC Document 1 Entered on FLSD Docket 12/22/2023 Page 1 of 12

UN ITED STA TES DISTRIC T CO UR T

SOUTHERN DISTRICT OF FLORIDA

CA SE N O . 23-60247-CR-CANNON/STRAUSS
18U.S.C.j 1349
AT
18U.S.C.j1344
18U.S.C.j982(a)(2)(A)
Dec 21, 2023
UN ITED STA TES O F A M ER ICA

VS. FTL

BEN NIE W A RE ,IlI and

LACRETIA ROQUEL PRATT,
D efendants.
/

IN D ICTM EN T

TheGrand Jury chargesthat:

G ENER AL ALLE G A TIO N S

A talltim esrelevantto thislndictm ent:

FinancialInstitutions

1. Bank ofAmerica was a financialinstitution with offices located in the Southern

D istrict of Florida,whose accotmts w ere insured by the FederalD eposit lnsurance Com oration

(:tl71:11(2'')
CitiBank wasa financialinstitution with officeslocated in the State of Florida,

w hose accountsw ere insured by the FD IC.

Florida Credit Union was a financialinstitution headquartered in the State of

Florida,whoseaccountswereinsuredbytheNationalCreditUnionAdministration(ûûNCUA'').
FR SA CreditU nion wasafinancialinstitution headquartered in the State ofFlorida,

w hose accountsw ere insured by theN CU A .

Case 0:23-cr-60247-AMC Document 1 Entered on FLSD Docket 12/22/2023 Page 2 of 12

.1P M organ Chase B ank w as a tinancialinstitution w ith offices located in the State

ofFlorida,whose accountswereinsured by theFDIC.

M cGraw-l-lillFederalCreditUnion wasafinancialinstitution headquarteredinthe

StateofNew Jersey,whoseaccountswereinsured by theNCUA.

Northern TnzstBalzk wasafinancialinstitm ion with officeslocated in the Stateof

Florida,w hose accountsw ere instlred by the FD IC .

8. Pow erFinancialCreditUnion w asa financialinstitution headquartered in the State

ofFlorida,whose accounts were insured by theN CUA .

Regions Bank w as a financial institution w ith offices located in the Southel'n

DistrictofFlorida,w hose accounts w ere insured by the FD IC.

10. Senate Financial Credit Union was a financial institution headquartered in

W ashington,DistrictofColum bia,whoseaccountswereinsuredby theNCUA .

Sun-
frust Bank was a financialinstitution with offices located in the State of

Florida,w hose accountsw ere instlred by the FD IC .

TD Bank wasafinancialinstitution with ofticeslocated in theSouthenzDistrictof

Florida,whose accotmtswereinsured by theFDIC.

The D efendants and R elated Entities

13. IkideNow AutoSalesLLC CûlkideNow'')wasaFloridalimitedliability company

with itslistedprincipaladdressin Jacksonville,Florida.

14. M arshall Construction Cleaning,lnc.CGMarshall Construction'') was Florida

corporation with itslistedprincipaladdressin M iami,Florida.

15. LACRETIA RO QUEL PRATT was a resident of M iami-Dade or Broward

Cotmty,Florida.Atallrelevanttim es,PRATT wasanofficerordirectorofM arshallConstnlction.
Case 0:23-cr-60247-AMC Document 1 Entered on FLSD Docket 12/22/2023 Page 3 of 12

BenAutoSaleslnc.CûBenAuto'')wasaFloridacorporationwithitslistedprincipal
address in D avie,Florida.

BENNIE W ARE,III was a resident of M iam i-Dade County,Florida. At a11

relevanttim es,W ARE wasan officerordirectorofBenA uto.

C O U NT 1
Conspiracy to C om m itBank Fraud
(18U.S.C.j1349)
The GeneralAllegations section ofthisIndictm entisre-alleged and incorporated

byreferenceasthough fully setforth herein.

From in or azotm d N ovem ber 2017 through in or around A ugust2018,the exact

datesbeing unknown to the Grand Jury,in Broward Colmty,in the Southern DistrictofFlorida,

and elsewhere,thedefendants,

BENN IE W A RE ,llI
and
LACRETIA ROQUEL PRATT,
did knowingly and willfully combine,conspire,confederate,and agreewith each other,and with

othersknow n and unknown to the Grand Jury,to com m itan offense againstthe United States,that

is,toknowingly,andwiththeintenttodefraud,execute,and causetheexecution of,a schem eand

artificeto defraud oneormoretinancialinstitutions,includingBank ofAm erica,CitiBank,Florida

CreditUnion,FRSA CreditU nion,.

1P M organ Chase Bank,M cG raw -l-lillFederalCreditUnion,

N orthern Trust Bank, Pow er Financial Credit Union,R egions Bank, Senate Financial Credit

Union, SunTrust Balzk,and TD Bank,which schem e and artifice would employ a material

falsehood,andto knowingly,and with theintentto defraud,execute,and causethe execution of,

a schem e and artifice to obtain m oneysand fundsow ned by,and underthe custody and controlof,

one or m ore financial institutions, by m eans of m aterially false and fraudulent pretenses,
Case 0:23-cr-60247-AMC Document 1 Entered on FLSD Docket 12/22/2023 Page 4 of 12

representations,and prom ises relating to a m aterialfact,in violation ofTitle 18,United States

Code,Section 134441)and(2).
PU R PO SE O F TH E CO N SPIR AC Y

It was the purpose of the conspiracy for BENNIE W ARE,111,LACRETIA

ROQUEL PRATT,and theirco-conspiratorsto unlawfully enrich themselvesand othersby

submitting fraudulent applications for automobile loans and depositing forged or cotmterfeit

checks attinancialinstitutions,and spending or withdrawing the fundsforthe defendants'and

theirco-conspirators'personaluse and forthe the use and benefitofothers.

M A N NE R A N D M E AN S O F TH E C O N SPIR ACY

The mnnnerand meansby which the defendantssoughtto accomplish the objectsand

purpose ofthe conspiracy included,am ong others,the follow ing:

On oraboutNovember2,2017,BENNIE W ARE,111,LACRETIA ROQUEL

PR ATT,and their co-conspirators tiled and caused to be filed an am endmentwith the Florida

DepartmentofState,Division ofCorporations,adding Victim 1 asa m anaging mem berofRide

N ow .

5. On oraboutNovember14,2017,BENNIE W ARE,111,LACRETIA ROQUEL

PR ATT,andtheirco-conspiratorsopenedandcausedtobeopenedachecldngaccotmtinthename

ofRideNow,usingthepersonalidentifying information ofVictim 1,atBank ofAm erica.

6. BENNIE W ARE,111,LACRETIA ROQUEL PRATT,andtheirco-conspirators

submitted and caused the submission to federalcreditl'nions ofloan applications to purchase

automobilesfrom RideN ow and Ben Auto,using thepersonalidentifying infonnation ofVictim

2,V ictim 3,V ictim 4,V ietim 5,and V ictim 6,w hom they falsely and fraudulently represented had

agreed to ptlrchase autom obilesfrom Ride N ow and Ben Auto.

4
Case 0:23-cr-60247-AMC Document 1 Entered on FLSD Docket 12/22/2023 Page 5 of 12

A sa resultofthese false and fraudulentapplications,Senate FederalCreditUnion,

PowerFederalCreditUnion,FloridaCreditUnion,M cGraw-l-
lillFederalCreditUnion,and FRSA

CreditUnion issued cashier's checks in the am otm tofthe requested loans to Ride N ow and Ben

Auto,which BENM E W ARE,111,LA CRETIA RO QUEL PR ATT,and theirco-conspirators

deposited into federally instlred banks.

8. BENNIE W ARE,111,LACRETIA ROQUEL PM TT,andtheirco-conspirators

also obtained and created forged or colmterfeit checks in the name of Corporate Victim 1,

Corporate Victim 2,and Corporate Victim 3,which W ARE,PRATT,and theirco-conspirators

deposited at federally insured banks in accounts controlled by W A R E,PR ATT,and their co-

conspirators.

9. BENNIE W ARE,111,LACRETIA ROQUEL PRATT,andtheirco-conspirators

withdrew and spentthe fraudulently obtained fundsfortheirown useand benetitand forthe use

and benefk ofothers.

A llin violation ofTitle 18,U nited States Code,Section 1349.

C O UN TS 2-9
Bank Fraud
(18U.S.C.j1344)
10. The G eneralAllegations section of this lndictm ent is re-alleged and incorporated

by referenceasthough fully setforthherein.

From on oraboutNovember2017throughon oraboutAugust2018,theexactdates

being tmknown to the Grand Jury,in Broward County,in the Southem DistrictofFlorida,and

elsewhere,the defendants,

BENM E W A RE,H l
and
LACRETIA ROQUEL PM TT,

5
Case 0:23-cr-60247-AMC Document 1 Entered on FLSD Docket 12/22/2023 Page 6 of 12

did knowingly,and w141the intentto defraud,execute,and cause the execution ofka scheme and
artificeto defraud one orm orefinancialinstitutions,including Bank ofA m erica,CitiBank,Florida

CreditUnion,FRSA CreditUnion,M cGraw-llillFederalCreditUnion,JP M organ ChaseBank,

N orthem Trust Bank, Power Financial Credit Union,Regions Bank, Senate Financial Credit

Union, Stm Trust Bnnk, and TD Bank, w hich schem e and artitice w ould em ploy a m aterial

falsehood,and to knowingly,and with the intentto defraud,execute,and causethe execution of,

aschem eand artiticeto obtain moneysalad fundsownedby,alzd lmderthe custody alad controlotl
one or more financial institutions, by means of materially false and fraudulent pretenses,

representations, and prom ises relating to a m aterial fact in violation of Title 18,U nited States

Code,Section 1344(1)and(2).
PU R PO SE O F TH E SCH EM E A ND A R TIFIC E

l2. lt was the pum ose of the schem e and artifice for BENNIE W ARE, 111,

LACRETIA ROQUEL PRATT,and theiraccomplicesto tmlawfully enrich themselvesand

othersby subm itling fraudulentapplications for autom obilepurchase loans and depositing forged

or counterfeit cheeks at financial institutions,and spending or w ithdraw ing the funds for the

defendants'andtheiraccom plices'personaluse and fortheuseand benefitofothers.

M A N NER AN D M EA N S O F TH E SC H EM E A N D A RT IFICE

The allegations contained in paragraphs 4 through 9 ofthe M annerand M eans of

the Conspiracy section ofCount1arerealleged and incorporatedby referenceasthrough fully set

forth herein asa description oftheschem eand artifice.

EX ECU TIO N O F TH E SC H EM E AN D M W IFICE

14. O n or aboutthe datesspecified below ,in Brow ard County,in the Southern D istrict

ofFlorida,and elsewhere,the defendants,

Case 0:23-cr-60247-AMC Document 1 Entered on FLSD Docket 12/22/2023 Page 7 of 12

BEN N IE W A R E,III
and
LACRETIA ROQUEL PRATT,
did execute,and cause the execution of,the above-described schem e and artificeto defraud,as

m oreparticularly described below :

C ount A pproxim ate D ate Execution

The depositofa cashier'scheck in the approxim ate
am otmt of $300,000,issued from Senate FCU,into
M arch 15,2018 an accotm tin the nam e ofRide N ow , ending in 5201,
atBnnk ofAm erica.

The depositofa check in the approxim ate nm otm tof

$80,013.63, issued from N orthem Trust, into an
3 April 12,2018 accountin the nnm e ofRide N ow , ending in 5201,at
Bnnk ofA m erica.

The depositofa check in the approxim ate am ountof

$77,238.88, issued from Northern Trust, into an
4 April13,2018 accountin the nnm e oflkide N ow , ending in 5201,at
Bnnk ofA m erica.

The depositofacheck in theapproximateam otmtof

$82,340.00, issued from Northern Trtzst, into an
April 16,2018 accountin the nnm e ofR ide N ow , ending in 5201,at
Bnnk ofA m erica.

The depositofacheck,in the approxim ate am ountof

$85,120.74, issued from Northern Trust, into an
April17,2018 accountin the nam e ofltideN ow , ending in 5201,at
Bnnk ofAm erica.

The depositofa cashier'scheck in the approxim ate

am otmtof$70,000,issued from Florida CU,into an
M ay 18,2018 accountin the nnm e of Ben A uto,ending in 0401, at
RegionsBank.

The deposit of a cashier's check in the approxim ate

nmountof$40,000,issued from FRSA FCU,into an
8 June 5,2018 accotmtin the nnm e ofBen A uto,ending in 0401,at
atRegions Bnnk.
Case 0:23-cr-60247-AMC Document 1 Entered on FLSD Docket 12/22/2023 Page 8 of 12

C ount A pproxim ate Date Execution

The depositof a cashier's check in the approxim ate

am ountof$60,000,issued from PowerFinancialCU,
9 A ugust3,2018 into an accountin the nam e of Ben A uto,ending in
0060,atStm -rnzst.

Inviolation ofTitle18,United StatesCode,Sections1344(1)and(2)and2.

FO R FEITUR E AI,LEG A TIO N S

The allegationsofthis Indictm entare hereby re-alleged and by thisreference fully

incorporated herein forthe purpose ofalleging forfeiture to the U nited States of certain property

in which thedefendants,BENNIE W ARE,Illand LACRETIA ROQUEL PRATT,havean

interest.

U pon conviction of a violation of Title 18,U nited States Code,Section 1344,as

alleged in this lndictm ent, the defendants shall forfeit to the United States any property

constituting,orderived from ,proceedsobtained,directly orindirectly,asa resultofsuch violation,

plzrsuanttoTitle18,UnitedStatesCode,Section 982(a)(2)(A).

8
Case 0:23-cr-60247-AMC Document 1 Entered on FLSD Docket 12/22/2023 Page 9 of 12

AllpursuanttoTitle18,UnitedStatesCode,Section982(a)(2)(A),andtheproeeduresset
forth atTitle 21,U lzited StatesCode,Section 853,asincorporated by Title 18,United States Code,

Section982(b)(1).
A TRU E BILL

p- ju
NDKUCE LA POEQTE
UN ITE A TES A TTORN EY

JON AT N BA IL
A SSIS T UN ITED STA TES A TTORN EY
 Case 0:23-cr-60247-AMC Document 1 Entered on FLSD Docket 12/22/2023 Page 10 of 12
U NITED STATES D ISTRICT CO U RT
SOU TH ER N DISTRICT OF FLO RIDA

UN ITED STA TES OF A M ERICA CA SE N O .:

CERTIFICA TE O F TRTAI,A TTO RN EY

BENNIE W ARE,l11and
LACRETIA ROQUEL PRATT / Superseding Case lnform ation:
D efendants. New Defendantts)(YesorNo)
CourtDivision (selectone) Num berofN ew Defendants
EEIM iami n Key W est L FTP Totalnum berofcounts
E FTL L W PB

Ido hereby certify that:

1. lhave carefully considered the allegations ofthe indictm ent,the numberofdefendants,the numberofprobable
witnessesandthelejalcomjlexitiesoftheIndictment/lnformationattachedhereto.
Iam awarethatthelnformatlon supplied on thisstatementwillberelied upon by the JudgesofthisCourtin setting
theircalendarsandschedulingcriminaltrialsunderthemandateoftheSpeedyTrialAct,Title28U.S.C.j3161.
lnterpreter:(YesorNo)No
Listlanguageand/ordialect:

Thiscasewilltake 7 daysforthepartiestotly.

Please check appropriate categol.

y and type ofoffense listed below :
(Checkonlyone) (Checkonlyone)
l r. 0to 5 days L Petly
11 S' 6to l0days L M inor
lII L llto20 days L M isdemeanor
IV L 21to60days Z Felony
V L 61daysand over
HasthiscasebeenpreviouslyfiledinthisDistrictCourt?(YesorNo)NO
lfyes,Judge Case N o.
Hasacomplaintbeen filed inthismatter?(YesorNo)No
lfyes,M agistrate CaseN o.
8. DoesthiscaserelatetoapreviouslyfiledmatterinthisDistrictCourt?(YesorNo)No
Ifyes,Judge Case N o.
9. Defendantts)infederalcustodyasof
10. Defendantts)instatecustodyasof
11. Rule 20 from the D istrictof
12. Isthisapotentialdeathpenaltycase?(YesorNo)N0
13. Doesthiscaseoriginate from a m atterpending in the Northern Region ofthe U .S.Attorney'sOffice
priortoAugust8,2014(Mag.JudgeShaniekMaynard?(YesorNo)No
D oesthiscase originate from a m atterpending in the CentralRegion ofthe U .S.Attorney'sO ffice
priortoOctober3,20l9(Mag.JudgeJaredStrauss?(YesorNo)No
15. D id thism atterinvolvethe participation oforconsulltion with now M agistrate JudgeEdùardo 1.Sanchez
during histenure atthe U .S.A ttorney'sOffice,which concluded on January 22,2023? N o

Jonathan Bailyn
A ssistantU nited StatesAttorney
CourtID N o. A5502602
Case 0:23-cr-60247-AMC Document 1 Entered on FLSD Docket 12/22/2023 Page 11 of 12

UNITED STATES DISTRICT CO UR T

SO UTH ER N DISTRICT OF FLO RIDA

PENA LTY SH EET

D efendant'sNam e: Bennie W are ll1

Case No:

Count#:1

Conspiracy to Comm itBank Fraud

Title 18 United States Code Section 1349

* M ax.Term oflm prisonm ent:30 Y ears
*M andatoryM in.Term oflm prisonm ent(ifapplicable):N/A
* M ax.Supervised R elease:5 Years
*M ax.Fine: $1,000,000

Counts#:2-9

Bank Fraud

Title 18.U nited StatesCodesSection 1344

* M ax.Term ofIm prisonm ent:30 Years
*M andatoryM in.Term oflmprisonment(ifapplicable):N/A
* M ax.Supervised Release:5 Y ears
*M ax.Fine: $1,000,000

*R efersonly topossible term ofincarceration,supervised release and fines. Itdoesnotinclude

restitution,specialassessm ents,paroleterm s,orforfeituresthatm ay beapplicable.
Case 0:23-cr-60247-AMC Document 1 Entered on FLSD Docket 12/22/2023 Page 12 of 12

U M TED STA TE S D ISTRICT CO UR T

SO UTH ERN D ISTRICT O F FLO RID A

PEN A LTY SH EET

Defendant's Nam e: Lacretia Roque Pratt

C ase No:

Count#:l

Conspiracy to Com m itBank Fraud

Title l8,U nited StatesCode.Section 1349

* M ax.Term ofIm prisonm ent:30 Years
*M andatory M in.Term oflm prisonm ent(ifapplicable):N/A
* M ax.Supenrised Release:5 Years
*M ax.Fine: $1,000,000

Counts#:2-9

Bank Fraud

Title l8.United States Code.Section 1344

* M ax.Term oflm prisonm ent:30 Y ears
*M andatoryM in.Term oflmprisonment(ifapplicable):N/A
* M ax.Supervised Release:5 Years
*M ax.Fine: $1,000,000

WRefersonly to possibleterm ofincarceration,supervised releaseand fines. Itdoesnotinclude

restitution,specialassessments,paroleterm s,orforfeituresthatm ay beapplicable.