Acting on a tip from Fifth Third Bank, MNPD Fraud Unit detectives on Friday arrested accused scammer Renauld Clayton, 31, who had devised an elaborate scheme to divert stolen money into a bank account he set up using a false name and social security number.
As Clayton was being arrested by the MNPD Friday, he was also being sought by federal authorities on an unrelated indictment charging him with diverting TSU students’ federal student aid funds to bank accounts under his control (Clayton worked in the TSU admissions office in 2014-15).
MNPD detectives, posing as bank employees, took Clayton into custody Friday afternoon after he presented a counterfeit driver license and signed the withdrawal slip using a false name. A search of his rental vehicle in the bank parking lot yielded $9,500 in cash, a counterfeit social security card, a driver license belonging to someone else, and numerous credit/debit cards.
Clayton was charged by the MNPD with attempted felony theft, criminal impersonation and criminal simulation. He is charged federally with student loan fraud, aggravated identity theft, and wire fraud. If convicted on the federal charges, Clayton faces up to 20 years in prison and a $250,000 fine.
MNPD Fraud detectives are continuing to investigate information that Clayton may have attempted to retain others to further his scam. Anyone recognizing Clayton’s photograph as a person who attempted to enlist their assistance is asked to contact the Fraud Unit at 615-862-7595.
