A Baton Rouge man was arrested today and is accused of orchestrating a national financial fraud scheme that stole more than 300 identities and more than $5 million, Attorney General Buddy Caldwell’s office says.
Donald Lonnell Batiste, 24, is charged with using his Baton Rouge-based credit-repair company, Best Inc., to engage in a pattern of racketeering activity, including theft, identity theft and money laundering. Batiste is accused of defrauding individuals, financial institutions and automobile dealerships across the United States. Caldwell’s office says millions of dollars in fraudulent purchases were made through his illegal scheme.
“Through this bogus company, hundreds of Social Security numbers were stolen and then sold to customers who were trying to legitimately improve their credit and obtain loans,” Caldwell says in a prepared statement. “As a result, millions of dollars have been illegally squandered in the form of bank loans, automobile purchases and credit lines on clothing and jewelry.”
Caldwell says Batiste conspired with at least 13 professional forgers who created fraudulent Social Security cards, bank statements, utility bills and tax documents. Batiste also advertised that he had partnered with various financial institutions to offer guaranteed unsecured lines of credit, Caldwell says.
Batiste was booked into East Baton Rouge Parish Prison and is charged with felony racketeering and criminal conspiracy to commit racketeering. If convicted, he faces up to 75 years in prison, says Caldwell, who has more details on the arrest and fraud scheme.
