Quartz Hill Rapper Charged in $8.1M Stolen Check Scheme

A 31-year-old Quartz Hill rapper known as ColdheartedAC was arrested on Wednesday, August 26, 2026, and charged in a federal indictment alleging he and two co-defendants orchestrated a sophisticated check-cashing scheme that stole over $8.1 million in stolen U.S. Treasury checks across Southern California. Ada William Obayuwana, who performs under the stage names ColdheartedAC and AC, was taken into custody and made his initial appearance in a Los Angeles federal court. He remains in federal custody following a detention hearing on Friday, August 28.

The 25-count federal grand jury indictment, announced by the U.S. Department of Justice, accuses Obayuwana and two co-defendants of illegally possessing more than 50 stolen Treasury checks and hundreds of other checks belonging to individuals and businesses. The scheme allegedly ran from April 2022 through December 2023. According to prosecutors, the trio obtained checks containing tax refunds, veterans benefits, and Social Security payments, then forged endorsements or modified names and addresses to steal the money. They allegedly opened bank accounts to receive the funds and used business documents to impersonate victims,...