Matthew Acquah, a 24-year-old from Los Angeles, has been sentenced to 36 months in prison for defrauding credit unions in Utah. His sentence involves a three-year supervised release period and an order to pay $452,000 in restitution.
Chief District Judge Robert J. Shelby passed the sentence following Acquah's guilty plea in January 2025. The charges included bank fraud, bank fraud conspiracy, and aggravated identity theft.
Court documents revealed that Acquah used fake identification to open lines of credit and withdraw unauthorized cash advances. He orchestrated several fraud operations in Utah with out-of-state accomplices. Prosecutors noted that he was known as “Scamdaddy” or “Playboy Prince” among his coconspirators. Acquah handled logistics such as travel arrangements, accommodation, and training new recruits for the fraud operations.
The fraud ring, active between December 2023 and June 2024, generated over $450,000 from Utah credit unions. Acquah used his share of the proceeds to maintain a lavish lifestyle, which included an upscale apartment and a luxury vehicle. Authorities recovered $100,804 in cash from his residence and a storage unit, designated for restitution.
The investigation was conducted by Homeland Security Investigations in collaboration with the Taylorsville City Police Department. Assistant United States Attorney Tanner Zumwalt led the prosecution on behalf of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Utah.