Essex County Man Charged in Mail-Based Bank Fraud Conspiracy

Isiah Jordan accused of stealing and altering checks to withdraw funds before detection

A 27-year-old Essex County man has been charged in a bank fraud scheme involving the theft and alteration of mailed checks, U.S. Attorney Alina Habba announced. Isiah J. Jordan was charged by criminal complaint with one count of conspiracy to commit bank fraud and one count of bank fraud.

Jordan made his initial court appearance before U.S. Magistrate Judge Leda Dunn Wettre in Newark and was released on a $100,000 bond.

According to court documents, Jordan participated in a scheme in which checks mailed by businesses were intercepted, altered, and deposited into accounts controlled by the conspirators. One notable instance occurred in June 2023, when a check exceeding $50,000 was stolen, the payee information was fraudulently changed, and the funds were later withdrawn and split among Jordan and his associates.

The conspiracy allegedly continued with efforts to recruit additional individuals, particularly those with long-standing bank accounts, to facilitate further deposits and withdrawals of stolen checks. This approach was intended to evade early detection by the banks or the original check issuers.

If convicted, Jordan faces up to 30 years in prison and a $1 million fine for each charge.

The investigation was led by the FBI’s Newark Division and the New Jersey State Police. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Casey S. Smith and Thomas S. Kearney. As with all criminal complaints, the charges are allegations, and the defendant is presumed innocent unless proven guilty.