I-TEAM: Community activist accused of stealing boss’s identity to obtain $271K in fraudulent loans

Siottis Jackson arrested on identity theft charge

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – The News4JAX I-TEAM has new information about a well-known community activist who turned himself in to authorities last week after a warrant was issued for his arrest on an identity theft charge.

According to court documents, Siottis Jackson, 34, was the chief operating officer for a local nonprofit organization.

According to the North Florida Cyber Fraud Task Force, Jackson posed as his boss Pastor Reginald Gundy to get several loans, and those loans added up to more than $270,000.

The I-TEAM reached out to Gundy, the founder of the First Coast Leadership Foundation Jacksonville, who didn’t want to comment about the allegations. He’s listed as the victim of identity theft.

According to an arrest warrant, Jackson used Gundy’s personal identification information to obtain $271,000 in fraudulent loans. Detectives said Gundy wasn’t aware of what was happening until he started getting notices from a collection agency. In a series of recorded phone conversations with the Liberty Funding Solutions, according to investigators, Jackson pretended to be Gundy and forged Gundy’s signature. Jackson is also accused of forging the signatures of at least two other board members, presenting notarized letters to falsify the loan documents.

Investigators said Jackson obtained:

  • $50,000 from Liberty Funding Solutions
  • $40,000 from Everest Business Funding
  • $25,000 from Family Business Fund
  • $27,500 from Nexus Capital Group
  • $129,540 from VyStar

In addition, according to investigators, Jackson applied for $180,000 in loans that were rejected. It’s still unclear what happened to the money.

In a statement Jackson posted to his Facebook page, he said he has no comments on the active case but goes on to say, “This situation has absolutely NOTHING to do with anyone I am connected with and I ask the public to treat it as such. I ask that the public not allow this matter to negatively reflect on others.”

Jackson has faced financial crimes before. In 2011, he pleaded guilty to a charge of fraud, accused of taking $6,000 while working as the student activities director at Ribault High School. In 2015, he pleaded guilty to a forgery charge, accused of fraudulently printing out checks from the realty business where he worked.

Jackson did not return our phone calls.


About the Author:

Tarik anchors the 4, 5:30 and 6:30 p.m. weekday newscasts and reports with the I-TEAM.