ATLANTA - Six defendants have been sentenced over the last week for their roles in a bank fraud conspiracy scheme that involved withdrawing funds from compromised bank accounts and stealing personal identifying information from victims across the country.
"The leaders of this conspiracy sought out bank accounts with large sums of money and then worked with their co-conspirators to obtain the specific account information and personal identifying information for those account holders, eventually draining the accounts of all the money," said U.S. Attorney John Horn. "Citizens expect that their personal information, as well as their money, is secure, and these defendants threatened that sense of security."
"Financial fraud is one of the largest challenges facing American citizens and businesses today. The United States Secret Service will continue to collaborate with its law enforcement partners to target and arrest individuals who steal from unsuspecting victims," said Kenneth Cronin, Special Agent in Charge of the U.S. Secret Service, Atlanta Field Office. "This sentencing should be a warning to other like-minded criminals that they will be punished for their wrongdoings."
According to U.S. Attorney Horn, the charges and other information presented in court: Darnell Crutcher and Robert Warren, working together and with others, obtained bank account information of individuals with Home Equity Line of Credit (HELOC) accounts with JP Morgan Chase and other banks. On at least one account, Warren impersonated an account holder to obtain the available balance and days later Crutcher impersonated the same account holder and transferred over $150,000 out of the account.
Warren also allowed funds from compromised accounts to be transferred into his own accounts and funneled the money, in wire transfers and cash withdrawals, at Crutchers direction. Willie Hubbard, an associate of Crutchers, provided Crutcher with his bank
account information on accounts he shared with Clifford Waller, his cousin. Crutcher also used these accounts to funnel funds from compromised accounts into, and then directed Hubbard on transferring and withdrawing the compromised funds, activity Waller also facilitated.
Juan Enriquez, who knew Crutcher from an Atlanta-area softball team, brought other individuals into the conspiracy. Enriquezs wife, Anna Enriquez, a former banker with JP Morgan Chase, assisted an impersonator on one of the bank account takeovers who transferred $500,000 out of the victims HELOC account.
Darnell Crutcher, 55, of Atlanta, Georgia, has been sentenced to nine years and one month in prison to be followed by five years of supervised release, and ordered to pay restitution in the amount of $794,825.90. Crutcher was convicted of bank fraud conspiracy and aggravated identity theft on Oct. 21, 2016, after he pleaded guilty.
Robert Warren, 52, of Atlanta, Georgia, has been sentenced to five years and five months in prison to be followed by five years of supervised release, and ordered to pay restitution in the amount of $544,825.90. Warren was convicted of bank fraud conspiracy and aggravated identity theft on December 9, 2015, after he pleaded guilty.
Enriquez, 44, of Ft. Lauderdale, Florida, has been sentenced to three years and three months in prison to be followed by five years of supervised release, and ordered to pay restitution in the amount of $252,825.90. Enriquez was convicted of bank fraud conspiracy and aggravated identity theft on Aug. 2, 2016, after he pleaded guilty.
Willie Hubbard, 52, of Lithonia, Georgia, has been sentenced to three years and one month in prison to be followed by four years of supervised release, and ordered to pay restitution in the amount of $369,000. Hubbard was convicted of bank fraud conspiracy and aggravated identity theft on July 19, 2016, after he pleaded guilty.
Clifford Waller, 41, of Lithia Springs, Georgia, has been sentenced to two years and four months in prison to be followed by five years of supervised release, and ordered to pay restitution in the amount of $472,211.06. Waller was convicted of bank fraud related to his conduct described above, as well as bank fraud conspiracy related to a separate federal investigation, on Feb. 1, 2016, after he pleaded guilty.
Anna Enriquez, 44, of Ft. Lauderdale, Florida, has been sentenced to 13 months of probation, including three months of home confinement, and ordered to pay restitution
in the amount of $222,825.90. Anna Enriquez was convicted of bank fraud conspiracy on Aug. 2, 2016, after she pleaded guilty.
All of the defendants were sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge William S. Duffey, Jr.
This case was investigated by the United States Secret Service. The United States Postal Inspection Service also provided valuable assistance.
Special Assistant United States Attorney Erin E. Sanders and Assistant United States Attorney Steven D. Grimberg prosecuted the case.
--DOJ Northern District of Georgia
Source: U.S. Secret Service