WASHINGTON, DC — Federal prosecutors say a Hyattsville, Maryland, man stole more than $1 million from dozens of seniors and other victims by using fraudulently obtained debit cards to make thousands of withdrawals and purchases.
Roy Dave Davis, 34, is charged with bank fraud, according to Maryland’s U.S. Attorney’s Office. Prosecutors say the scheme began in May 2023 and involved more than 1,500 fraudulent ATM withdrawals. They also say Davis used the stolen money for direct purchases, including more than $100,000 in luxury fashion items.
The case adds up to more than 40 alleged victims, with prosecutors saying the senior citizens targeted in the scheme averaged 81 years old.
How prosecutors say the scheme began
According to federal authorities, Davis first got personally identifiable information from several customers of a financial institution. Prosecutors say he then altered the mailing addresses linked to those accounts so the cards would be sent to addresses he controlled in Maryland.
After that, he allegedly ordered debit cards in the victims’ names and used them to drain accounts through ATM withdrawals and purchases. The U.S. Attorney’s Office said the conduct was not limited to older adults. Investigators say small businesses, a charter school and even people who were already dead were among the accounts used.
That breadth of alleged targeting is part of what prosecutors say pushed the losses above $1 million. The case was outlined in a Monday news release from the Maryland U.S. Attorney’s Office.
Older victims were the main targets
Prosecutors say the most heavily targeted group was senior citizens, with victims averaging 81 years of age. The government has not said how many of the more than 40 victims were older adults specifically, but it says the pattern was broad and deliberate.
The complaint describes a method built around access to account data, redirected mail and debit cards ordered in other people’s names. Once the cards were in hand, prosecutors say, Davis used them over and over at ATMs and merchants.
Federal authorities say the repeated withdrawals and purchases created losses that stretched well beyond ordinary card theft. The amount stolen, they say, topped $1 million.
Luxury spending was part of the alleged fraud
Prosecutors say Davis did not use the money only for cash withdrawals. They say he also made direct purchases that included more than $100,000 in luxury fashion items.
Those purchases were cited by investigators as one example of how the stolen funds were spent after the debit cards were obtained in victims’ names. Federal authorities have not publicly detailed the specific brands or stores involved.
The luxury spending stands out in a case that otherwise centers on account manipulation and repeated ATM use. Authorities say the financial losses were spread across multiple victims and account types, rather than being tied to a single institution or one isolated incident.
Possible penalties and Davis’s current status
If convicted, Davis could face more than 30 years in prison, federal prosecutors said. Bank fraud is a serious charge, and the case remains in the hands of federal authorities.
Davis is currently released on home detention, according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office. That means he is not being held in jail while the case moves forward, though he remains under court supervision.
Prosecutors have not announced whether additional charges are expected. For now, the government’s allegations focus on the alleged account manipulation, card fraud and spending that allegedly followed.
What federal investigators say happened next
Investigators say the scheme unfolded over time after the initial account information was obtained. From there, they say, Davis changed mailing addresses, ordered cards and used the cards to keep money moving out of the victims’ accounts.
Federal authorities say the case involved a wide mix of victims, from older adults to small organizations. The inclusion of deceased people’s debit cards, along with those tied to a charter school and small businesses, suggests the alleged fraud extended beyond a single neighborhood or one kind of account.
Maryland’s U.S. Attorney’s Office has not said whether any of the stolen money has been recovered. For the victims, prosecutors say the losses add up to more than $1 million.
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