David Smith, a 22-year-old man accused of stealing nearly $1 million from DoorDash drivers through a phishing scheme, was fatally shot on Monday, January 6, in New Rochelle, New York. Authorities say Smith was found in a parking lot at the Heritage Homes apartments, suffering from multiple gunshot wounds. He was transported to a hospital, where he was pronounced dead.
Unrelated Dispute Leads to Arrests
Three men have been arrested and charged with Smith’s murder. Law enforcement confirmed that none of the suspects were connected to DoorDash or Smith’s fraud case. Officials also clarified that Smith’s murder stemmed from an unrelated dispute, not his legal troubles in Connecticut.
Smith’s Legal Troubles
Smith was due to appear in a Connecticut courtroom on Wednesday, January 8, to decide whether to accept a plea deal related to the DoorDash fraud case. The case began in June 2023 when Stamford police, responding to a domestic violence call, discovered evidence of a massive phishing scheme targeting DoorDash drivers at Smith’s apartment.
Police recovered:
- 109 payment cards, most not in Smith’s name.
- California driver’s licenses and fraudulent paychecks.
- Over $733,000 in cash, found in safes and stacks around the apartment.
Smith was charged with multiple offenses, including first-degree larceny, third-degree identity theft, and first-degree computer crime.
The Phishing Scheme
Authorities alleged that Smith used phishing links to trick DoorDash drivers into sharing sensitive information, allowing him to steal their paychecks. The scheme impacted over 700 drivers and amounted to more than $950,000 in stolen funds.
Smith had posted a $250,000 bond and was under 24-hour GPS monitoring in Mount Vernon, New York, at the time of his death.
With Smith’s death, the DoorDash fraud case will be closed. The $733,240 seized by police will eventually be returned to the affected DoorDash drivers.
Smith’s death brings an abrupt end to a legal saga involving charges of assault, fraud, and identity theft. While his murder is not linked to his alleged crimes, the fallout from his actions continues to impact hundreds of DoorDash drivers who fell victim to the scheme.
