Jamaican social media personality Michelle “Michii” Hylton is facing federal charges in New York over an alleged multimillion-dollar bank fraud scheme in which prosecutors say social media served as a recruiting tool.
Hylton, 33, of the Bronx, is among eight defendants named in an indictment unsealed on Wednesday, October 21. Each faces charges of bank fraud and conspiracy to commit bank fraud, carrying maximum penalties of 30 years in prison per count. Those are statutory maximums, not predetermined sentences. United States Department of Justice
Prosecutors allege that, from around 2022, the group recruited people through social media and other channels to provide access to their bank accounts.
Those accounts were allegedly used to deposit counterfeit cheques and US Treasury notes, with money withdrawn before banks detected the fraudulent instruments. Investigators say participants also exchanged images of fraudulent cheques, bank locations and other people’s identifying information through social media and messaging applications.
The other defendants are Jeshon Bingham, Rupertt Sherrir, Floyd Forrest, Reheem Anderson, Mikhail Davis, Juzan Spence and Chavaughn Boothe.
All eight are presumed innocent unless proven guilty. United States Department of Justice
The indictment follows several separate cases involving Jamaican social media personalities, although their circumstances and legal status differ substantially.
In September, entertainer Ansel “Pops YG” Fairclough was arrested during a livestream at his Trelawny home on suspicion of lottery-scam offences. He was subsequently released on pre-charge bail; that development should not be described as a conviction or a confirmed charge. Jamaica Gleaner
Blogger Milton “119” Wray was charged in April 2025 with malicious communication concerning social media posts about a St Catherine woman. That prosecution is separate from the civil defamation proceedings involving broadcaster Dervan Malcolm’s widow. Jamaica Observer
In another, unrelated fraud case, Jamaican national Jordan Trought pleaded guilty in June to conspiracy to commit wire fraud, mail fraud and bank fraud. He was sentenced in September to eight years in prison for his role in a sweepstakes operation targeting elderly Americans. The Justice Department’s announcement does not identify him as a social media influencer. United States Department of Justice
For Hylton and her co-defendants, the allegations now move into the federal court process, where prosecutors must prove their case.
