A federal grand jury has returned a five-count indictment against six people, alleging they engaged in a scheme to defraud individuals and banks across the United States, including in Arizona.

The defendants — Armani R. Purandah, 24, Rashawn L. Gray, 27, Tyshaun D. Ripley, 25, Awilda Reyes, 51, Richard M. Bah, 20, of Bronx, N.Y., and Harley D. Stuscavage, 41, of Phoenix — were each charged with one count of conspiracy to commit bank fraud and four counts of aggravated identity theft, according to a release from the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Arizona.

The indictment alleges they engaged in a scheme to defraud individuals and banks across the country, including in Arizona, Colorado and California.

“The co-conspirators unlawfully used victims’ personal identifying information and fraudulent identifications to open fake business accounts linked to the victims’ legitimate bank accounts,” the release stated.

“They transferred the victims’ funds from the victims’ legitimate bank accounts to the fraudulent business bank accounts. Once the victims’ funds were transferred to the business accounts, the co-conspirators withdrew the funds in cash at financial institutions and tribal casinos.”

 They also made other unauthorized transactions from the accounts, authorities said.

Conspiracy to commit bank fraud carries a maximum penalty of 30 years in prison and a fine of up to $1 million. Aggravated identity theft carries a two-year mandatory minimum prison sentence.

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