FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. — Four men are accused of attempting to cash a U.S. Treasury check worth more than $27 million, authorities said. They were arrested at a South Florida restaurant on Nov. 10 after they unwittingly included an undercover officer in their scheme.

According to a federal criminal complaint, agents arrested Carlos Manuel Villaneuva, 37, of Hialeah, Florida; Eric Renard Bedford, 44, of Houston; Jorge Cruz Garcia, 30, of Katy, Texas; and John Ryan Boxie, 43, of Houston.

The four men face one count of conspiracy to defraud the United States and one count of theft of government property.

The tax refund check, which totaled $27,910,676.69, was supposed to go to an unnamed company in Richmond, Virginia, had not been cashed.

According to the criminal complaint, “a source of information” told federal agents that Villaneuva had access to the check. On Nov. 5, Villaneuva opened talks with a man, called “Banker” in the complaint, who he believed could help him cash the check. The “Banker” was an undercover officer with the U.S. Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration.

Villaneuva allegedly showed the undercover officer photographs and videos of the check and said that three other men who lived outside Florida had it. He added that the trio could travel to Florida, but stressed that he needed help cashing the check because the company was closed and the check was expiring on Nov. 12.

Villanueva told the agent that his cut of the check would be $5.6 million, and he asked the officer to create three separate bank accounts to disburse the funds, the complaint states. He allegedly added that the men had “access to other checks of a large amount and can get more.”

The men agreed to meet at a restaurant — which was not named in the complaint — in the Broward County city of Pembroke Pines at approximately 12 p.m. ET on Nov. 10.

Villaneuva arrived at the eatery at about 11:45 a.m. and Garcia arrived about an hour later, according to the complaint. Garcia called himself “David.” According to investigators, Garcia “claimed to have extensive experience in negotiating stolen checks, particularly U.S. Treasury checks” and “also mentioned that he operates a business that is used to funnel the proceeds from these stolen checks.”

Boxie and Bedford drove up to the restaurant in a white Maserati with Virginia license plates at about 1:20 p.m., the complaint states.

Agents said that Boxie introduced himself as an accountant “with extensive financial and bank experience, having worked for two separate tax preparation firms” in Houston. The men discussed opening the accounts and depositing between $300,000 and $400,000 per day into the accounts “to avoid scrutiny.”

He allegedly added that he had held onto the check for nearly a year because he could not find anyone who could cash it or deposit it, the complaint stated.

After the men agreed on the plan, Boxie allegedly signaled to Bedford, who went to the Maserati and returned with a white envelope containing the check.

As soon as the check was transferred to the undercover officer, agents with the U.S. Postal Inspection Service who were “monitoring the meeting” confronted the men and arrested them, according to the complaint.

It was unclear how the men had obtained the check, or whether the company that was owed the money had reported it missing and had sought a replacement check.

The four men made their first appearances on Nov. 12 in a federal court in Fort Lauderdale.

A judge set bond at $100,000 with a Nebbia hold for Garcia, Bedford and Boxie and $50,000 with a Nebbia hold for Villanueva. A Nebbia hold requires that defendants prove the money they post for bond comes from verified non-criminal sources.

Attorneys for Villaneuva and Garcia did not return requests for comment. Bedford and Boxie did not have attorneys listed, according to court records.

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