Two Georgia Men Indicted in $760K Fuel Card Fraud
A federal grand jury charged Zachary Walker and Mario Bailey over unpaid fuel purchases made across 23 states.
Updated on Nov. 4, 2026 in Financial Crime
A federal grand jury indicted Zachary Walker and Mario Bailey on Sept. 23, 2025, on charges of trafficking in an unauthorized access device, wire fraud, and mail fraud. Prosecutors allege the two obtained fuel cards through a fraudulent credit application and used them to buy fuel in 23 states, leaving an unpaid balance of $760,320.19 including interest.
Why it matters
The case shows how a fabricated business identity can be used to obtain credit and fuel cards without the real company's knowledge. Coyne Oil & Propane received no payment for any of the purchases made on the cards.
Zachary Walker and Mario Bailey were federally indicted on trafficking in an unauthorized access device, wire fraud, and mail fraud charges. Walker made his initial court appearance on Nov. 3 and was released on a $10,000 unsecured bond, while the status of Bailey's case was not reported.
The players
Zachary Walker
A 40-something Atlanta resident who rented the Detroit apartment where the fuel cards were delivered and who was released on a $10,000 unsecured bond after his initial federal court appearance.
Mario Bailey
An Atlanta man indicted alongside Walker who allegedly impersonated the owner of Voyager Express Inc. to obtain the fuel cards.
Coyne Oil & Propane
A Mount Pleasant, Michigan fuel company that approved the fraudulent credit application and was left unpaid for the fuel purchases.
The details
Bailey allegedly assumed the identity of the owner of Voyager Express Inc. and submitted a credit application to Coyne Oil & Propane using a fake email address containing "voyagerexpress." Coyne Oil approved the application and mailed eight fuel cards to Walker's Detroit apartment in September 2025, which Bailey retrieved on Sept. 13 after Walker had apartment staff grant him access.
Timeline
July 2025: Walker rents a unit in Detroit's Jeffersonian Apartments.
August 2025: Bailey submits the fraudulent credit application to Coyne Oil & Propane.
September 2025: Coyne Oil mails eight fuel cards to Walker's Detroit apartment.
Sept. 13, 2025: Bailey retrieves the fuel cards from the apartment.
Sept. 23, 2025: A federal grand jury indicts Walker and Bailey.
Legal Context
Charges of trafficking in an unauthorized access device alongside wire and mail fraud reflect how federal prosecutors pursue credit-based schemes that cross state lines. The case follows a pattern in which fraudulent business applications are used to obtain fuel cards nationwide.
Businesses that issue fuel or commercial credit cards face exposure when applications are submitted under another company's identity. Verifying a credit applicant's identity and contact details before issuing cards can limit losses from similar schemes.
The takeaway
Credit issuers that verify applicant identity through independent contact channels reduce the chance of cards being issued to impostors. Consumers and businesses can protect themselves by confirming any unexpected credit or account activity directly with the company involved.
Further reading
Explore more Financial Crime coverage in Georgia.
Source note: This article includes information reported by Mlive.
