A Michigan resident has pleaded guilty in U.S. District Court in Rhode Island for his involvement in a multi-state retail theft scheme that targeted a Rhode Island-based retailer and resulted in approximately $140,000 in losses. Acting United States Attorney Sara Miron Bloom announced the plea.
According to court documents, Mattek Scott, 27, of Flint, Michigan, admitted to conspiracy to commit wire fraud. Prosecutors said that from at least June 2022 through April 3, 2024, Scott and co-conspirators—including Ariana Asberry, 26, also of Flint—fraudulently obtained money, pre-paid gift cards, and merchandise from at least 35 store locations across 11 states.
Authorities detailed that Scott and others used fraudulent debit or credit cards to attempt purchases. When these payment methods were declined, they instructed cashiers to finalize transactions by selecting the “Cash tendered” option without providing any actual cash. This allowed them to load pre-paid gift cards with amounts ranging from $199 to $500.
The group then traveled between retail outlets using the fraudulently loaded cards to buy additional pre-paid gift cards. The proceeds were spent on hotel stays, restaurant meals, groceries, car repairs, utilities, gas, and convenience store items.
The affected retailer reported total losses of about $140,000.
Scott is scheduled for sentencing on November 20, 2025. The sentence will be determined by a federal district judge after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
Ariana Asberry previously pleaded guilty on November 20, 2024. She was sentenced to time served and three years of federal supervised release and was ordered to pay restitution totaling $138,633.01.
Assistant United States Attorneys Christine D. Lowell and Julianne Klein are prosecuting the case. Homeland Security Investigations led the investigation.
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