A Georgia man serving 14 years in a maximum-security prison for an armed robbery was accused of impersonating a billionaire producer, stealing $11 million, and used the money to buy a house in Atlanta. (Read More Here).
Arthur Lee Cofield Jr., 31, allegedly accessed the accounts of Sidney Kimmel, the CEO and chairman of an entertainment company, using contraband cellphones from inside a Georgia prison.
The feds first uncovered Cofield’s alleged plot in 2020.
He allegedly stole Kimmel’s identity, then swiped millions from the 94-year-old’s Charles Schwab account, the Atlanta Journal-Constitution reported.
The gang member conned customer service reps of the financial services company who wired money to a so-called company in Idaho, which he used to purchase more than 6,000 American Eagle one-ounce gold coins, according to the outlet — which worked out to be almost $11 million.
Authorities alleged Cofield hired a private security team to transport the coins to Atlanta using a private plane, and used a portion of the money to buy a multi-million-dollar home.
In July 2020, Eldridge Bennett and his daughter, Eliayah Bennett, reportedly found a six-bedroom house in Atlanta’s Buckhead area, and offered the homeowner $4.4 million for the property — and provided $720,000 in cash as a down payment.
Two months later, Eldridge paid the owner the balance, authorities alleged.
Cofield was charged with conspiracy to commit bank fraud and money laundering, according to the newspaper.
He is also facing attempted murder charges after he allegedly ordered gang members to shoot and kill a romantic rival in Atlanta while he was behind bars. Cofield — who was serving time for armed robbery — allegedly stole the identity of Kimmel, 94, and then swiped millions of dollars from his Charles Schwab account, the Atlanta Journal-Constitution reported.
Over the phone, the gang member allegedly tricked customer service reps with the financial service company to wire the money to a company in Idaho to buy up more than 6,000 American Eagle one-ounce gold coins.
Cofield, Eldridge Bennett, 65, and his daughter, Eliayah Bennett, 27, have all pleaded not guilty.
It’s believed to be one of the biggest heists conducted from behind bars in American history.
Kimmel’s company Sidney Kimmel Entertainment is behind films including “Hell or High Water,” “Crazy Rich Asians” and “Moneyball.” Kimmel built his wealth starting the apparel company Jones New York before selling it for $2.2 billion.
The feds first uncovered Cofield’s alleged plot in 2020, but more revelations about it came to light after the AJC combed over documents and court records.
Federal authorities believe Cofield stole millions from other victims worth billions in a similar fashion, according to the newspaper.
“Mr. Cofield has figured out a way to access accounts belonging to high net worth individuals, frankly billionaires, located across the country,” federal prosecutor Scott McAfee reportedly said in court in December 2020.
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