Boston Woman Sentenced for Role in Bank Fraud Ring

BOSTON - A Massachusetts woman was sentenced today in federal court in Boston for her role in a scheme to defraud a bank in Massachusetts.

Trinity Antonetty, 25, of Boston, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Julia E. Kobick to time served (approximately one day in prison) and two years of supervised release, with the first 60 days to be served in home detention. Antonetty was also ordered to pay restitution in the amount of $56,000. In March 2026, Antonetty pleaded guilty to one count of bank fraud.

Between July and October 2024, Antonetty opened a business bank account and allowed Phalentz Vernot to deposit fraudulently obtained cashier's checks into the account. Antonetty used funds from one of the checks Vernot deposited into her account to purchase a cashier's check payable to a shell company Vernot controlled. When the bank froze another of the checks Vernot deposited into Antonetty's account for suspected fraud, Antonetty called the bank and falsely claimed that she operated a high-end car dealer and that the funds were related to a luxury car.

In July 2025, Vernot and five other men were charged as part of a related investigation into a multi-million-dollar scheme to defraud banks in Massachusetts, Connecticut and Rhode Island. Vernot pleaded guilty in December 2025 and is scheduled to be sentenced on Oct. 21, 2026. Two of Vernot's co-defendants, Victor Kolawole and Keith Wainaina, have also pleaded guilty and are scheduled to be sentenced on Oct. 13, 2026 and Nov. 10, 2026, respectively. Two additional individuals, William Shaw and Rosemary Parks, were charged for their alleged roles in the scheme in January 2026. Parks pleaded guilty and is scheduled to be sentenced on Sept. 11, 2026.

United States Attorney Leah B. Foley; Ted E. Docks, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Division; and P.J. O'Brien, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, New Haven Division made the announcement today. Valuable assistance was provided by the Connecticut State Police, the Glocester (RI) Police Department, the Sutton Police Department, the Concord (MA) Police Department, the Dracut Police Department, the Westwood Police Department and the Abington Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Kristen Kearney of the Securities, Financial & Cyber Fraud Unit prosecuted the case.