RHOA: Apollo Nida Criminal Complaint — Breaking Down The Fraud

Are you ready for another installment of The Real Crooks of Bravo? All About The Tea has obtained a copy of Apollo Nida’s Criminal Complaint, Appearance Bond and Conditions of Release court documents. As most know, Apollo is the househusband of The Real Housewives of Atlanta star and power attorney, Phaedra Parks.

The documents are quite revealing and breaks down the allege bank fraud and identity theft scam. According to the Criminal Complaint embedded below (US vs Apollo Nida – Case Number: 01:14-MJ-059) brought forth by U.S. District Court Northern District of Georgia, the fraud started around September 2010, when Apollo was fresh off of serving a 5 year prison sentence. Apollo, knowingly and willfully conducted a scam to defraud financial institutions by depositing stolen and fraudulently obtained checks, auto loan proceeds and US Treasury checks into bank accounts opened in names of stolen identities. Apollo conspired with others and knowingly used the proceeds of this scam for his own personal benefit. Apollo’s case is a classic fraud scheme.

Essentially, Apollo created fake companies giving him access to LexisNexis, Equifax and Mircrobilt, all commercial databases which he allegedly used to harvest personal information (of potential victims) with the intent to defraud. One of his known conspirator’s, Gayla Oneal St. Julien has already plead guilty and accepted a plea deal for her role in the scam. Allegedly, Gayla Oneal St. Julien, opened 40 bank accounts in and around the Atlanta area, using stolen identities and would deposit stolen US Treasury checks, fraudulent checks, stolen retirement checks issued to Delta Airlines employees, and checks in the names of real people who were owed unclaimed property from various state and federal government agencies. One of the banks (J.P. Morgan Chase) became suspicious when Mrs. St. Julien opened 4 bank accounts using 2 stolen identities and would make large deposits of checks with different names. Obviously, bank officials became very suspicious and notified authorities which kicked-off the investigation in February 2012 by Special Agent Alexandre Herrera. Agents recorded phone conversations between Gayla and Apollo in which, Apollo discussed details of fraudulent auto loans and information of future checks that he was expecting to receive in the mail, stated in the affidavit.

It’s still unknown how many co-conspirators are involved in this case, however, I can’t imagine such an elaborate scam could be carried out by two people alone. The government alleges the bank fraud totals near $3 million dollars.  On Thursday, Jan 23, Apollo Nida surrendered himself to the custody of US Marshals and was placed under arrest then released a short while after on an unsecured pre-trial bond of $25,000.

Previously little was known about Gayla Oneal St. Julien but All About The Tea has done some digging and learned that Mrs. St. Julien is a wife and a mother. Below is a photo of Gayla Oneal St. Julien who recently wed Jeremy St. Julien in May 2013:

The charges laid out in the Criminal Complaint are very serious. Considering, Apollo is a convicted felon, currently on parole and served 5 years in prison for racketeering; we can only contemplate how these new charges will alter his future as a free man.

The scam Apollo did is not a complicated one, it’s easier than most would think. Fundamentally, he created a shell company which is a type of billing scam. Usually, a shell company is created for the only purpose of committing fraud. When forming a shell company:

• First: A certificate of incorporation is established, generally under a fake name
• Second: Upon the creation of the business, the shell company’s address is typically factitious like a P.O. Box
• Third: A bank account is then established in the name of the fictitious company or a person to make a home for the phony transactions

Apparently, Apollo followed the above guideline to the “spirit” and “letter” of the law!

Back in 2011, Apollo was “randomly” pulled over by the feds, handcuffed while agents conducted an extensive search of his vehicle. The feds claimed they believed Apollo was a key player in a secret investigation they were conducting. After an exhaustive search, the feds let him go and claimed it was a case of  mistaken identity. Hindsight is 20/20, Apollo!

A Few Things to Ponder:

• Who taught Apollo how to gain access to Lexis, Equifax and Mircrobilt and how to use those databases fraudulently to scam people?
• Who taught Apollo how to set-up a shell/dummy company with incorporation?
• The Criminal Complaint indicates a laptop containing records, bookkeeping and other incriminating evidence was seized, who taught Apollo how to use a laptop and keep meticulous records of the allege fraud?
• When the feds made the above random pull over and search in 2011, shouldn’t that have been a red flag to stop the allege operation?
• Did Apollo miss his previous residence and eating canned food so he was doing everything in his power to return?
• Weave and make-up work miracles!!