A Florida resident has been sentenced for his involvement in a Telegram-based check fraud operation targeting businesses in Alabama. The announcement came from U.S. Attorney Prim F. Escalona and U.S. Secret Service Special Agent in Charge Patrick Davis.
Gabriel Samuel Odiot, 21, from Kissimmee, Florida, received a 60-month prison sentence from U.S. District Court Judge Madeline Haikala. He was also ordered to forfeit $84,000. Odiot pleaded guilty in December 2024 to charges of conspiracy to commit bank fraud and wire fraud, along with aggravated identity theft.
Court documents revealed that between August 2022 and March 2023, Odiot managed "RICH OFF PLAYS," a Telegram channel used for negotiating fraudulent checks. Through this platform, he recruited mail carriers and advertised the services of bank insiders to facilitate bank fraud operations. Odiot shared pictures and videos on the channel showing stolen checks, transaction receipts, and significant sums of cash—often marked with his nickname “Motion.”
The investigation was led by the U.S. Secret Service with support from the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, and the Heflin Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Edward J. Canter handled the prosecution.