Inmate accused of impersonating California billionaire to steal $11M while inside max security lock-up
October 9, 2022
Georgia maximum-security prison inmate Arthur Lee Cofield, 31, pulls off biggest heist EVER from inside
prison as he steals $11M from billionaire and buys $4.4m Atlanta mansion
using smuggled-in cell phone... and a very cunning plan
A Georgia inmate allegedly stole $11 million from a billionaire movie mogul — and used the cash to buy a mansion in Atlanta — all while locked up in a maximum-security prison, according to a report.
Prisoner Arthur Lee Cofield Jr., 31, allegedly impersonated Sidney Kimmel, the uber-wealthy chairman and CEO of a Los Angeles entertainment company, with the help of contraband cell phones from inside the Georgia Department of Corrections Special Management Unit.
Cofield — who was serving time for armed robbery — allegedly stole the identity of Kimmel, 94, and then swiped millions of dollars from his Charles Schwab account, the Atlanta Journal-Constitution reported.
Over the phone, the gang member allegedly tricked customer service reps with the financial service company to wire the money to a company in Idaho to buy up more than 6,000 American Eagle one-ounce gold coins.
From there, he got a private plane to bring the coins to Atlanta, using a portion of them to help purchase a $4.4 million house in Buckhead, federal authorities alleged, according to the AJC.
Cofield was charged with conspiracy to commit bank fraud and money laundering. Two others outside of prison are also accused of being involved in the wild scheme.
Arthur
Lee Cofield Jr. is accused of using contraband cell phones to
impersonate Sidney Kimmel (pictured) and open a fraudulent bank account
in his name. Kimmel is CEO of the company behind films such as “Hell or High Water,” “Crazy Rich Asians” and “Moneyball.”
Cofield, Eldridge Bennett, 65, and his daughter, Eliayah Bennett, 27, have all pleaded not guilty.
It’s believed to be one of the biggest heists conducted from behind bars in American history.
Kimmel’s company Sidney Kimmel Entertainment is behind films including “Hell or High Water,” “Crazy Rich Asians” and “Moneyball.”
He was reimbursed in full by Charles Schwab as soon as the company became aware of suspected fraud, the newspaper reported.
Kimmel built his wealth starting the apparel company Jones New York before selling it for $2.2 billion.
The feds first uncovered Cofield’s alleged plot in 2020, but more revelations about it came to light after the AJC combed over documents and court records.
Federal authorities believe Cofield stole millions from other victims worth billions in a similar fashion, according to the newspaper.
“Mr. Cofield has figured out a way to access accounts belonging to high net worth individuals, frankly billionaires, located across the country,” federal prosecutor Scott McAfee reportedly said in court in December 2020.
Cofield is also facing pending attempted murder charges connected to accusations he ordered gang members to shoot and kill a romantic rival of his in Atlanta while he was sitting in the Georgia prison system, the AJC reported.
He was moved from state prison to federal custody in 2021 after his armed robbery sentence came to a close, according to the report.
An attorney repping Cofield in both the bank fruad and attempted murder cases declined comment to the AJC.
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