A 25-year-old Bronx man, Oliver Tejada, is going to prison for five years after pulling off a sophisticated bank robbery scheme.
The Heist
Tejada and his crew targeted elderly people and others, stealing their bank information. They then called the banks, pretending to be the victims, to get more details. Next, they used fake IDs and other fraudulent documents to impersonate the victims at various bank branches. They made large withdrawals and wire transfers, sending the money to accomplices who quickly emptied the accounts. In some cases, they even got debit cards using the fake IDs.
The Losses
The gang stole over a million dollars from 23 victims across 11 different bank branches, mostly in Pennsylvania. While some banks caught the fraud and reversed the transactions, the total loss to the banks amounted to $780,837.
The Arrest and Sentence
Tejada was charged in May 2024 and pleaded guilty earlier this year to conspiracy to commit bank fraud, bank fraud, and aggravated identity theft. His five-year sentence reflects the seriousness of his crime.