LA Rapper ColdheartedAC Arrested Over Alleged $8.1 Million Stolen Check Scheme
- Los Angeles-area rapper Ada William Obayuwana, known as ColdheartedAC, was arrested alongside two co-suspects following a federal grand jury indictment
- The trio allegedly obtained more than 50 stolen US Treasury checks and hundreds of other checks belonging to individuals and businesses across three counties
- Obayuwana faces nine counts of bank fraud, three counts of delivering stolen Treasury checks and one count of aggravated identity theft
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Ada William Obayuwana, a Quartz Hill-based rapper who performs under the name ColdheartedAC, has been arrested and charged in connection with an alleged stolen cheque scheme valued at more than $8.1 million, following a federal grand jury indictment.
Source: Facebook
Obayuwana was taken into custody on Wednesday alongside Albert Tai Vu of Westminster and Cassandra Marie Murrillo of San Diego.
Federal prosecutors allege the three suspects participated in a coordinated fraud operation that ran from April 2022 through December 2023.
How the alleged ColdheartedAC scheme operated
According to the indictment, the suspects acquired more than 50 stolen US Treasury cheques alongside hundreds of additional cheques belonging to private individuals and businesses.
The Treasury cheques reportedly included payments tied to tax refunds, veterans' benefits and Social Security disbursements.
Prosecutors allege the group altered the names and addresses on the cheques, forged endorsements and used falsified business documents to impersonate the intended recipients.
The funds were then deposited into various bank and credit union accounts spread across Los Angeles, Orange and San Diego counties.
Obayuwana is specifically accused of attempting to cash at least three Treasury tax refund cheques with a combined value of $382,109, allegedly succeeding with one and withdrawing $229,109.
In December 2023, investigators found him in possession of more than 100 stolen or fraudulent cheques in his vehicle in Oceanside, with a reported total value exceeding $6.1 million.
Among those were 48 Treasury cheques worth approximately $2.56 million, of which he allegedly cashed eight for a combined total of around $1.7 million.
ColdheartedAC's co-suspects face separate charges
Vu is alleged to have attempted to cash six Treasury cheques totalling $2.15 million, successfully cashing two tax refund cheques worth $772,159.
He also allegedly cashed two cashier's cheques of $250,000 each, using one to buy a Range Rover and the other to pay Murrillo.
Murrillo is alleged to have attempted to cash two cheques worth $60,193 and successfully cashed one valued at $31,405. She is expected to surrender to federal authorities.
Obayuwana remains in federal custody. He faces nine counts of bank fraud, three counts of delivering stolen Treasury cheques and one count of aggravated identity theft.
Vu faces charges of delivering stolen Treasury cheques, money laundering and aggravated identity theft.
The Facebook post on ColdheartedAC's arrest is below.
Police Officer and attorney's wife arrested
Earlier, YEN.com.gh reported on the arrest of a Tshwane Metro Police Department officer and his attorney-wife on money laundering charges linked to over GH₵2 million from estate accounts.
The case began with a vehicle dealership's suspicion over a high-value car purchase, exposing the couple's alleged illicit financial activities.
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Source: YEN.com.gh
