PHILADELPHIA, PA — 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 role in a fraudulent scheme that stole over $1 million from bank accounts of at least 23 victims, including elderly individuals.
Tejada pleaded guilty in March to conspiracy to commit bank fraud, bank fraud, and aggravated identity theft. He was also sentenced to three years of supervised release and ordered to forfeit $780,837.11, representing the actual losses sustained by financial institutions involved.
According to court filings, Tejada and his associates obtained confidential banking information from their victims, which they used to impersonate account holders. The conspirators contacted banks to verify balances and acquire additional account details. Using fake identification cards with victims’ personal information but bearing the photo of an accomplice, cash was withdrawn or wired to accounts controlled by the group. The receiving accounts were then quickly emptied.
The fraudulent activity spanned multiple bank locations, with ten out of eleven branches situated within the Eastern District of Pennsylvania. Victim losses were mitigated in some cases due to the banks’ ability to reverse fraudulent transactions.
Homeland Security Investigations led the inquiry into the case, which was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Robert J. Livermore. The sentence underscores the Department of Justice’s commitment to pursuing those who exploit vulnerable individuals and abuse the banking system for personal gain.
For the latest news on everything happening in Chester County and the surrounding area, be sure to follow MyChesCo on Google News and MSN.