Maryland Man Sentenced to 33 Months in Federal Prison For $1.2 Million Bank Fraud Scheme

Baltimore, Maryland – U.S. District Judge George L. Russell, III sentenced Daniel Ongele, age 33, of Bowie, Maryland to 33 months in federal prison, followed by three years of supervised release, for a $1.2 million bank fraud scheme. 

The sentence was announced by United States Attorney for the District of Maryland Erek L. Barron and Special Agent in Charge Thomas J. Sobocinski of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Baltimore Field Office.

  According to his guilty plea, from January to June 2018, Ongele obtained the account information of the elderly victims from a co-conspirator who was employed as a bank teller.  Specifically, the co-conspirator, without authorization, accessed confidential computerized account information at the bank and obtained the names and other personal identifying information (PII), which was then provided to Ongele.  Ongele and others then used automated teller machines in Maryland to deposit and attempt to deposit fraudulent checks drawn on the compromised accounts into accounts belonging to other conspirators.  Ongele obtained information pertaining to at least nine victim accounts, which he used to conduct fraudulent transactions.  Ongele admits that as a result of his fraudulent conduct and the foreseeable conduct of his co-conspirators, the intended loss was $1,293,237.06.

United States Attorney Erek L. Barron commended the FBI for its work in the investigation.  Mr. Barron thanked Assistant U.S. Attorney Peter J. Martinez, who prosecuted the case.

For more information on the Maryland U.S. Attorney’s Office, its priorities, and resources available to report fraud, please visit https://www.justice.gov/usao-md and https://www.justice.gov/usao-md/report-fraud.

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