District Attorney Hoovler Announces Prison Sentence in Check Fraud Scheme that Defrauded Union
Multiple Defendants Previously Admitted to DefraudingIronworkers Local 417
Orange County District Attorney David M. Hoovler announced that Turgaud Dubuisson, 30 of Newburgh was sentenced on Friday, December 8, 2023 in Orange County Court to three and one third to ten (3 1/3 – 10) years in prison in connection with a wide ranging fraud scheme that spanned from March, 2021 through April, 2022 and which resulted in a total loss of in excess of $250,000 to local businesses. Additional co-defendants are expected to be sentenced on later dates.
As detailed in the indictment and in statements made in court, from March, 2021 through April, 2022, the defendants engaged in a scheme of depositing altered and/or fraudulent checks, belonging to Ironworkers Local 417, and other area businesses, as well as individuals, into various bank accounts, and then withdrew cash from those fraudulent deposits from multiple banks. The defendants, acting in concert with each other, created fake business accounts to facilitate the check deposits. The total amount of forged and altered checks from the Ironworkers Local 417 is in excess of $190,000 and the total amount of checks deposited from all victims is in excess of $250,000.
The investigation was led by the Town of Newburgh Police Department and assisted by the Town of New Windsor Police Department, Dutchess County Sheriff’s Office, Orange County District Attorney’s Office Investigators, Orange County Sheriff’s Office, and the NYS Department of Financial Services.
“Sophisticated fraud schemes are often difficult to unravel and require skilled and experienced investigators,” said District Attorney Hoovler. “The members of Ironworkers Local 417, and all victims of fraud, should know that my Office will do everything in our power to identify and hold accountable those responsible for their victimization. I commend the collaborative work amongst our law enforcement partners that helped to see this complicated case through to its rightful conclusion.”
Assistant District Attorney Alexis Gregory and Chief Trial Assistant District Attorney Richard Moran are assigned to prosecute the case.
A criminal charge is merely an allegation that a defendant has committed a violation of the criminal law, and it is not evidence of guilt. All defendants are presumed innocent and entitled to a fair trial, during which it will be the State of New York’s burden to prove guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.