A Theodore resident has been sentenced to 32 months in prison for his involvement in fraud schemes, including bank fraud conspiracy, aggravated identity theft, and wire fraud. Sean Donnell White, aged 30, conducted these activities between 2020 and 2022.
Court documents reveal that White engaged in stealing mail to access victims' bank accounts and personal information. He recruited postal employee Kristen Arieale Williams to assist him by selling an "arrow" key for $2,500 in cash. This key allowed access to blue postal collection boxes within a specific area. In November 2022, law enforcement apprehended White using the key to steal mail from collection boxes outside the Bel Air Mall in Mobile. He committed fraudulent bank transactions amounting to at least $69,508.69 using counterfeit checks generated from stolen mail information.
White's second scheme involved a cryptocurrency scam. He purchased stolen identities from dark web marketplaces to open Coinbase and associated bank accounts under his control. By selecting banks that permitted account overdrafts of up to $35,000, White made trades with unsettled funds and siphoned profits into his controlled accounts. The victim banks incurred losses if trades were unsuccessful. Through this "Coinbase scam," White amassed at least $210,000 in illicit proceeds.
U.S. District Judge DuBose imposed a five-year supervised release term following White's prison sentence, during which he will undergo drug testing and treatment while facing credit restrictions. Additionally, he must pay $35,334.10 in victim restitution and a $210,000 money judgment but was not fined further.
Williams faced her own conviction for fraud offenses in November 2023 and received a three-year federal prison sentence along with an order to pay victim restitution.
The announcement was made by U.S. Attorney Sean P. Costello of the Southern District of Alabama.
The investigation was carried out by several agencies including the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, USPS–Office of Inspector General, U.S. Secret Service, Mobile Police Department with significant assistance from Brewton Police Department and the U.S Small Business Administration–Office of Inspector General.
Assistant U.S Attorneys Christopher Bodnar and Justin Roller led the prosecution for these cases on behalf of the United States.