Oliver Tejada, 25, of the Bronx, New York, was sentenced to 60 months in federal prison on Wednesday by United States District Judge Timothy J. Savage for his involvement in a fraudulent operation that took over $1 million from the bank accounts of at least 23 victims, including the elderly.
Tejada pleaded guilty in March to conspiracy to conduct bank fraud, bank fraud, and aggravated identity theft. He was also sentenced to three years of supervised release and forced to repay $780,837.11, which represented actual losses suffered by the financial institutions involved.
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According to court documents, Tejada and his friends collected sensitive banking information from their victims and utilized it to mimic account users. The conspirators called banks to verify balances and obtain additional account information. Cash was withdrawn or sent to the group’s accounts using phony identification cards including the victims’ personal information but featuring the photo of an accomplice. The receiving accounts were then promptly emptied.
The fraudulent operation involved various bank locations, with ten out of eleven branches located in the Eastern District of Pennsylvania. Victim damages were reduced in some circumstances thanks to banks’ capacity to reverse fraudulent transactions.
Homeland Security Investigations headed the investigation, which was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Robert J. Livermore. The sentence demonstrates the Department of Justice’s determination to prosecute those who exploit vulnerable people and abuse the banking system for personal benefit.
