LA Crips gangster who advertised $2.8 million bank fraud on Instagram learns fate

A member of the Los Angeles Crips who brazenly posted photos of himself on Instagram holding stacks of cash while advertising a bank fraud scheme was sentenced to nine years in federal prison for the $2.8 million scam.Chase Matthew Griffin, a.k.a.

“Trey,” used Instagram to lure accomplices who gave him access to their bank accounts, where deposited forged checks and made off with the loot.Griffin, 26, who came from Atlanta but also resided in Ontario and South Los Angeles, was sentenced in Los Angeles federal court Thursday and also ordered to pay $307,386 in restitution.The fraudster pled guilty on March 5 to one count of conspiracy to commit bank fraud.He has been in federal custody since September 2025.Prosecutors said Griffin participated in a criminal conspiracy that started in 2022, in which he and his associates obtained checks stolen from the mail and then altered them or created counterfeit versions, so they appeared to be payable to accomplices.

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By clicking above you agree to the Terms of Use and Privacy Policy.Never miss a story Griffin recruited these accomplices online, often through Instagram, where he posted photos of himself holding towering stacks of cash.

He advertised for holders of various bank accounts to give him access to those accounts.After he recruited an accomplice, Griffin and his crew deposited the fraudulent checks, typically for tens of thousands of dollars, into the bank account and then raced to withdraw the funds before the bank could detect the fraud.Griffin used the money to bankroll a high-flying lifestyle that included a ranch home with a $15,00-per-month lease, jet travel and partying at casinos, prosecutors said.Social media pics of the crook showed him posing with a BMW and a Rolls Royce.California Post News: Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, X, YouTube, W...