The crimes victimized 200 people and businesses in Polk County, according to a press release from the U.S. Department of Justice.
Back in June 2022, Polk County Sheriff's Office deputies responded to a call at a gas station resulting in the arrest of Tyler Jacob, a convicted felon known to be a member of the "Trap Boys" gang.
Jacob was found with a handgun, ammunition, numerous fraudulent checks, checks that had been returned as altered, personal information of other people written in a notebook, 27 debit cards in other people's names, a computer and a cell phone, FOX 13 Tampa Bay reported.
Deputies later determined the information in the notebook was stolen and belonged to dead people, people who lived in assisted living facilities and people who were mentally incompetent, FOX 13 reported.
Jacob and at least 19 conspirators are believed to have worked from July 2021 to November 2023 defrauding banks, credit unions and businesses throughout central Florida, Fox News reports.
"These guys were kind of instrumental for this gang they call the ‘Trap Boys’," Polk County Sheriff Grady Judd said. "In fact, Tyler Jacob was known as the ‘Money Man’. He kind of perfected the scheme and was teaching it and bringing people in…. But, guess what? We flushed the ‘Trap Boys.’ They cease to exist. They’re in the toilet and down in the sewer. We’re going after their accomplices now. There are more flushes for this toilet."