A second arrest has been made in connection with what Attorney General Buddy Caldwell’s office calls “an elaborate financial fraud scheme” that stole more than 300 identities and more than $5 million.
Brenda Milson Taylor, 64, of Carencro, was arrested late Tuesday and booked on counts of racketeering and criminal conspiracy to commit racketeering. She is accused of co-conspiring with Donald Batiste of Baton Rouge, who used what was billed as a credit repair company as a front to defraud individuals and businesses nationwide, Caldwell’s office says.
Batiste, 24, was arrested Tuesday on accusations that he used Best Inc. to defraud individuals, financial institutions and automobile dealerships across the United States. Caldwell says Batiste conspired with at least 13 professional forgers who created fake Social Security cards, bank statements, utility bills and tax documents.
Batiste was booked on counts of felony racketeering and criminal conspiracy to commit racketeering. If convicted, he faces up to 75 years in prison.
Taylor is facing the same prison sentence, accused of colluding with forgers to create counterfeit bank records to attempt to receive a $250,000 loan that Taylor claimed was intended for use by her church. She also used a fake Social Security number to obtain automobile loans for a 2009 Ford Flex and a 2007 Mercedes Benz, says Caldwell’s office, which had more details.
