Officials: 2 men plead guilty in check-cashing scheme

NEWARK, N.J. (AP) - Officials say that two northern New Jersey men have admitted to their roles in a check-cashing scheme.

NJ.com reports (https://bit.ly/1VrGJGR ) 59-year-old John Creegan, of Dumont, and 47-year-old Paul Fitzsimons, of Englewood, pleaded guilty Thursday to conspiring to cause a financial institution to fail to file currency transaction reports.

Federal authorities say that people brought checks to Creegan and Fitzsimons, who would cash them for the individuals and keep a percentage for themselves.

Officials say the men would then bring those checks to a check-cashing business in New Jersey, which would negotiate the checks, cash them and keep some of the money.

Internal Revenue Service officials say the check-cashing center did not file the legally required reports for those transactions.

Both men are facing up to five years in federal prison.

___

Information from: NJ.com, https://www.nj.com