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Description: Newport News, Virginia criminal lawyer represented Defendant charged with conspiring to defraud Navy Federal Credit Union and its members out of money and property.

From approximately April to August 2021, Samari Smith, 20, conspired with at least four other people to commit credit union fraud by convincing account holders to withdraw and turnover funds to them under false pretenses. Smith and his coconspirators targeted sailors in the United States Navy on online dating applications like Tinder by posing as women interested in a romantic relationship. Smith and his co-conspirators asked the victimized Sailors to withdraw and turnover funds – often under the guise of helping a relative in the Navy who was trying to send them money.

Samari Smith was directly involved in defrauding four Sailors in the Navy who were then stationed in the Hampton Roads metropolitan area, which caused more than $40,000 in fraud losses to these victims. Two co-conspirators previously pleaded guilty, including the leader of the conspiracy, Trequan Smith, 21, of Hampton and Emani Burton, 23, also of Hampton. The broader fraud conspiracy orchestrated by Trequan Smith victimized dozens of Sailors in the Navy and caused hundreds of thousands of dollars of fraud loss.

Samari Smith pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit bank fraud and is scheduled to be sentenced on January 27, 2023. He faces a maximum penalty of 30 years in prison. Trequan Smith pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit bank fraud and aggravated identity theft. He faces a mandatory minimum of two years in prison and a maximum penalty of 32 years in prison. Burton pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit bank fraud and was sentenced to a term of one day of incarceration and three years of supervised release.

Actual sentences for federal crimes are typically less than the maximum penalties. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after taking into account the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

Jessica D. Aber, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia; Tira A. Hayward, Acting Inspector in Charge of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service’s Washington Division; and Frederick Franks, Special Agent in Charge of the Naval Criminal Investigative Service (NCIS) Norfolk Field Office, made the announcement after U.S. District Judge Arenda Wright Allen accepted the plea.

This case was investigated under the leadership and coordination of the Newport News Financial Crimes Task Force.

Assistant U.S. Attorney D. Mack Coleman is prosecuting the case.

T.18:1349 and 1344 - Conspiracy to Commit Bank Fraud / T.18:981(a)(1)(C) and 982(a)(2)(A); T.28:2461(c) - Criminal Forfeiture
(1)
T.18:1344 and 2- Bank Fraud
(6-9)

Outcome: 09/13/2022 37 Consent - Waiver of Right to Rule 11 before a US District Judge by Samari J. Smith. (lhow) (Entered: 09/13/2022)
09/13/2022 38 Plea Agreement Hearing held before Magistrate Judge Robert J. Krask as to Samari J. Smith on 9/13/2022: Mack Coleman present on behalf of the government; Nicholas Hobbs present on behalf of the defendant; Defendant present and on bond; Defendant sworn; Court explained to the defendant that by pleading guilty he waived his right to appeal; Plea entered by Samari J. Smith (2) Guilty: Count 1. Sentencing set for 1/27/2023 at 11:00 AM in Norfolk Courtroom 3 before District Judge Arenda L. Wright Allen. Defendant continued on bond. COURT HOURS: 10:30 AM - 11:28 AM.(Court Reporter Jody Stewart.)(lhow) (Entered: 09/13/2022)
09/13/2022 39 PLEA AGREEMENT as to Samari J. Smith (lhow) (Entered: 09/13/2022)
09/13/2022 41 Statement of Facts as to Samari J. Smith (lhow) (Entered: 09/13/2022)
09/13/2022 42 Order Accepting Plea of Guilty as to Samari J. Smith. Signed by Magistrate Judge Robert J. Krask and filed on 9/13/2022. (lhow) (Entered: 09/13/2022)
09/13/2022 43 Sentencing Procedures Order as to Samari J. Smith. Signed by Magistrate Judge Robert J. Krask and filed on 9/13/2022. (lhow) (Entered: 09/13/2022)

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