Harris County, Texas, resident Maria Eliza Garza has pleaded guilty
to conspiring to defraud seven different Houston-area banks of more than
$2 million in 2007 and 2008, announced U.S. Attorney Kenneth Magidson.
As
outlined in documents filed with the court and admitted by Garza during
her guilty plea, she and a co-conspirator agreed to carry out a check
kiting scheme that targeted seven different financial institutions in
the Houston area. While the co-conspirator allegedly devised the scheme
that used multiple bank accounts held in the name of title companies he
controlled, Garza admitted she assisted by discussing which bank
accounts needed money, preparing checks to sign, and depositing signed
checks at the banks.