Suspects accused of stealing $270K from Bay Area banks in elaborate scheme on the run: HCSO

TAMPA, Fla. - The Hillsborough County Sheriff's Office is searching for multiple suspects involved in a bank fraud scheme resulting in over $270,000 in stolen money.

According to HCSO, several individuals have used multiple counterfeit North Carolina driver's licenses to open numerous bank accounts in the Tampa Bay area. All featured the same picture and were used to facilitate the fraud resulting in more than $270,000 in stolen money.

"They go around, and they're doing cash advances," Hillsborough Sheriff Chad Chronister said. "They put money into an account or what appears to be money, in an account. They go to a bank, and they're withdrawing money from that account. Sometimes $5,000, maybe up to $10,000 at a time."

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Sheriff Chronister said at least 10 banks across Hillsborough County were hit in the fraud scheme, but there could be more involved.

"Is this just happening in Tampa?" Chronister said. "Do they live in Tampa? They live somewhere else and they're making their way around the country? We don't know because they're that organized with the change in their appearance and different fraudulent IDs."

Chronister says they’re searching for multiple suspects, but it’s unclear exactly how many suspects are involved.

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"The banks are not the victim here," Chronister said. "The people who are going to be the victim is everyone who does business with that bank, because they're going to pass that loss on to the customers."

The sheriff's office is asking anyone who recognizes any of the pictured individuals or the vehicle to notify them at 813-247-8200 or contact Crime Stoppers of Tampa Bay at 800-873-8477.