PALM BEACH, Fla. (CBS12) — A 40-year-old Orlando man is facing felony fraud charges after investigators say more than $345,000 was stolen from a Palm Beach County victim through a sophisticated scheme involving unauthorized wire transfers, bank withdrawals, and phone number manipulation.

Marcus Bernard Malcolm was arrested following a month-long Palm Beach Police Department investigation that traced a series of fraudulent transactions back to personal and business bank accounts connected to Malcolm, according to a probable cause affidavit.

PBPD says the case began in August 2025 when the victim reported that nearly $346,000 had been withdrawn from his Merrill Lynch account without his authorization. The victim told police the transactions occurred over several weeks in July 2025 and were routed to multiple recipients, including accounts linked to environmental services companies and individuals, one of which was in Malcolm’s name.

Detectives later learned the victim also lost access to his home phone line during the same period. According to the affidavit, AT&T confirmed the number had been fraudulently ported to another carrier without the victim’s consent — a tactic investigators say is commonly used to intercept two-factor authentication codes and gain access to victims’ financial accounts.

Financial subpoenas revealed Malcolm opened a TD Bank account in midJuly 2025. Within days, that account allegedly received tens of thousands of dollars traced back to the victim’s Merrill Lynch account. Records show Malcolm then made numerous cash withdrawals across different Central Florida bank branches, many on the same day, with investigators documenting the transactions through bank surveillance footage and cell phone location data.

Police say Malcolm withdrew more than $85,000 from the victim’s account alone on July 29 and July 31, 2025. Surveillance footage and banking records show him visiting multiple TD Bank branches in Orlando, Kissimmee, Poinciana, Altamonte Springs, and Winter Park, often making back-to-back withdrawals.

The affidavit also states Malcolm used funds tied to the alleged scheme to purchase a 2014 Mercedes-Benz from a South Orlando dealership in late July 2025. Investigators obtained dealership records, including identification documents and a fingerprint, confirming Malcolm as the buyer. The vehicle was later linked to Malcolm during an unrelated Orange County arrest in November 2025.

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In addition to the current charges, police noted Malcolm was previously arrested by the Orange County Sheriff’s Office on allegations including battery on a law enforcement officer and domestic violence. Investigators used that prior arrest to further confirm Malcolm’s identity through officer identification of surveillance images.

Malcolm is charged with one count of organized scheme to defraud involving $50,000 or more and one count of fraudulent use of personal identification information involving $50,000 or more. Both charges are first-degree felonies under Florida law, according to the affidavit.

Investigators allege Malcolm knowingly participated in a coordinated fraud operation that systematically targeted the victim’s financial accounts over an extended period. The charges state the scheme involved intentional misrepresentation and unauthorized use of personal identifying information to obtain money without consent.

Malcolm’s case remains under review by the State Attorney’s Office.