Once the account was established, Cofield submitted a purchase inquiry to Money Metals Exchange LLC, a precious metals dealer based in Ohio. While claiming to be S.K., Cofield ultimately purchased 6,106 Ameican Gold Eagle one-ounce coins for $10,998,859.92. Late that day, Eliayah Bennett, posing as his wife, contacted Charles Schwab to inquire about the verification process to initiate a wire transfer.
Cofield then managed to get an $11 million wire transfer approved by Charles Schwab as he impersonated S.K. and referenced the earlier call by Bennett. Convinced the transaction was legit, Charles Schwab sent the funds to an account controlled by Money Metals Exchange LLC.
On June 13, Cofield commissioned a private security company to transport the coins from Boise, Idaho, to Atlanta. Three days later, Eldridge Bennett met the security team and took possession of the gold coins after forking over a false identification document.
“The Secret Service worked closely with our partners and shared information and resources to ultimately bring this criminal to justice,” said Steven R. Baisel, special agent in charge of the Secret Service’s Atlanta field office. “Today’s indictment proves that there is no such thing as anonymity for those engaging in fraudulent schemes.”
Eldridge Bennett and Eliayah Bennett have been arraigned before a U.S. magistrate judge, and Cofield is scheduled to be arranged at a later date.
