Group Charged with Siphoning Funds from CU, Bank Accounts

FRESNO, Calif. – Six local men were charged in a federal indictment unsealed Monday with using a home computer program to siphon hundreds of thousands of dollars from accounts at Navy FCU, JP Morgan Chase and Citibank, among others. The six allegedly obtained the software program for free online, then access various business accounts, as well as personal accounts through popular financial management programs like Quicken, Quickbooks and Microsoft Money, which yielded credit union and bank account information, PINs and passwords. Authorities believe the group stole as much as $400,000 through the scheme. Named in a 53-count indictment were alleged ringleaders Ryan Friend, 26, and Michael Buchanan, 30, and brothers Christopher Travis, 33, and Lloyd Travis, 37, Robert Moreno, 29 and his brother Cesar Moreno, 34, all of Fresno.