Two men from Georgia are facing federal prosecution over an alleged $760,000 fuel-card fraud scheme that prosecutors say relied on the unauthorized use of a legitimate Michigan trucking company's identity. Mario Bailey and Zachary Walker are accused of obtaining eight commercial fuel cards through a fraudulent credit application submitted in the name of Voyager Express Inc., an interstate motor carrier based in Detroit.

According to federal court records, the application was submitted to Coyne Oil & Propane, the company that subsequently extended the credit. The resulting fuel purchases, made across 23 states, generated an outstanding balance of $760,320.19, including accrued interest. The allegations follow other significant cases involving fuel-card abuse, including a separate $510,000 fraud investigation previously reported by FreightWaves, which involved fictitious fueling stations and fraudulent transactions.

A rented Detroit apartment allegedly used to receive the cards

The alleged operation began in July 2025, when Walker rented an apartment in Detroit. According to the federal indictment, he used an altered driver's license displaying his actual name and photograph to secure the property. Prosecutors have not specified how the document was modified.

The apartment subsequently became the delivery address for the fuel cards at the centre of the investigation.

On Aug. 13, Bailey allegedly posed as the owner of Voyager Express Inc. and submitted a commercial credit application to Coyne Oil. The application reportedly used an unauthorized Gmail address associated with the trucking company's name.

Prosecutors maintain that Voyager Express had neither knowledge of nor authorization for the request. The application was intended to obtain commercial fuel credit by exploiting the carrier's legitimate business identity.

The case highlights a broader pattern of alleged identity misuse within the trucking industry. A separate investigation into an alleged $12 million cargo theft operation also involved suspects accused of exploiting the identities of legitimate motor carriers.

Eight states in all use Pacific Pride cards, 23 of them.

Coyne Oil approved the credit application and issued eight Pacific Pride fuel cards . On September 3, 2025, the company mailed the cards to Walker’s rented apartment in Detroit.

Walker reportedly had Bailey gain access to the property on Sept. 13, ten days later. Bailey then grabbed the cards, the indictment says.

The transactions “resulted in unpaid fuel purchases and interest” of $760,320.19, reports said. The activity took place in 23 states from September 2025 to January 2026. Coyne Oil never received payment for the balance due.

Prosecutors say in the first count of the indictment that both men got the fuel cards with the purpose of giving them to other people.

In some fuel-card fraud schemes, the fuel is bought at a discount and then resold to truck drivers, but investigators have not determined whether that was the approach in the case involving Bailey and Walker. The indictment does not say who bought the fuel, what vehicles were provided or whether any of the fuel was resold.

Other studies have also documented the financial impact of identity-related fraud in trucking. For example, a California trucking company owner admitted to an identity theft scheme totaling $2.1 million with fake credit card accounts.

Federal indictment outlines three criminal charges

A federal grand jury indicted Bailey and Walker on Sept. 23, 2026, in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Michigan. The indictment was unsealed on Oct. 21.

Both defendants face charges related to unauthorized access devices, wire fraud and mail fraud.

The potential penalties are significant. The unauthorized access-device charge carries a maximum prison sentence of 10 years for a first offense, while wire fraud and mail fraud each carry maximum sentences of 20 years.

Prosecutors have outlined the alleged conduct behind each charge. The wire fraud count concerns an electronic credit application transmitted from Atlanta to Mount Pleasant. The mail fraud allegation is based on the shipment of the fuel cards to the Detroit apartment. The unauthorized access-device charge relates to the alleged trafficking of fraudulently obtained cards.

Federal authorities are also seeking the forfeiture of proceeds connected to the alleged scheme should the defendants be convicted.

Walker pleads not guilty as trial date is set

Walker appeared before U.S. Magistrate Judge Patricia T. Morris on Nov. 3, where he entered a not-guilty plea. The court authorized his release on a $10,000 unsecured bond.

U.S. District Judge David M. Lawson subsequently scheduled Walker's jury trial for Dec. 29 in Bay City, Michigan.

The available court records do not establish whether Bailey has entered a plea or received a trial date.

Both men remain presumed innocent unless and until prosecutors establish their guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.

Why this case matters to the trucking industry

The allegations are an example of the financial exposure fuel providers face when criminals steal the identities of legitimate trucking companies to obtain commercial credit.

When a fraudulent application is made to an established carrier, the losses can be significant especially when fuel cards are issued and used in multiple states before the suspicious activity is discovered.

Company ownership verification, applicant authority verification and independent validation of business contact information remain important safeguards for fuel suppliers and other commercial credit providers.

This case also shows why freight and transportation companies need stronger identity checks. When someone gets hold of a real carrier’s credentials, the financial and operational fallout can be serious.