He said a five-month investigation by the FBI and Cincinnati Police found connections to North Carolina, Minnesota, Wisconsin, Texas and New York. Although authorities would not say what those connections may be, they did confirm that they suspect the ringleaders are based in New York City. Mr. Allen said the investigation will continue and more charges are likely. Leon Locke, a detective with the police division's fraud unit, said the participants would wait for the checks to clear and then withdraw the cash. He said they then split the money, usually 50-50, with the person who recruited them into the operation.
Prosecutors say the recruiters typically met the newcomers at bars or nightclubs.
They flashed money, struck up a conversation and made their pitch. In most cases, he said, the recruiters promised they would not get caught. Although they may not have been the leaders, Mr. Allen said the new recruits must have known they were breaking the law. They were sucked into it because they wanted to get rich quick. He said the recruits included four Cincinnati city employees, all from the sanitation department, and a Hamilton County deputy sheriff.