justice

FLORIDA MAN PLEADS GUILTY IN RHODE ISLAND IN BANK FRAUD, U.S. MAIL THEFT SCHEME

FLORIDA MAN PLEADS GUILTY IN RHODE ISLAND IN BANK FRAUD, U.S. MAIL THEFT SCHEME

 

PROVIDENCE – A Florida man pled guilty in U.S. District Court in Providence today to bank fraud, ID theft, and mail theft charges, admitting that he executed a scheme to order then steal debit cards and PINs from mailboxes in Rhode Island and Massachusetts, then used them at ATMs in both states to withdraw funds from individuals’ bank accounts without their knowledge.

Stacy Moore, 48, of Miami Beach, FL, admitted that as part of the scheme replacement debit cards were ordered with the use of stolen personal identifying information belonging to bank account holders. The new debit cards and PINs were sent to the account holders, then stolen from the account holders’ mailboxes upon delivery by the U.S. Postal Service (USPS). The fraudulently obtained debit cards and PINs were used to make unauthorized bank withdrawals.

Account holders were unaware that replacement debit cards and PINs had been requested.

According to court documents and information presented to the court, from December 11, 2018, to February 10, 2019, Moore used fraudulently obtained debit cards and PINs to make multiple withdrawals from at least six individuals’ personal bank accounts in Rhode Island and Massachusetts.

As part of the scheme, replacement debit cards and PINs were ordered via telephone without the knowledge of bank account holders. They were delivered via the United States Postal Service to the account holders’ homes. An Informed Delivery account through the USPS website was established for each account holder’s address, allowing for notification when the replacement debit cards and PINs would be delivered. After delivery, the debit cards and PINs were stolen.

In court today, Moore admitted that among his fraudulent activities were 17 unauthorized ATM withdrawals on December 11 and 12, 2018, at ATMs in Boston. Withdrawals totaling $9,600 were made with the use of two fraudulently obtained debit cards and PINs, both in the name of the same bank customer.  Moore also admitted that he made 10 unauthorized withdrawals totaling $6,000 on February 12 and 13, 2019, from ATMs in Middletown and Newport with the use of fraudulently obtained debit cards and PINs in the name of another bank customer.

Appearing today before U.S. District Court Judge William E. Smith, Moore pled guilty to two counts of bank fraud and one count each of aggravated identity theft and theft of mail, announced United States Attorney Aaron L. Weisman, Inspector in Charge of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service Boston Division Joseph W. Cronin, and Craig A. Marech, Resident Agent in Charge of the Providence Office of the United States Secret Service.

            Moore is scheduled to be sentenced on May 7, 2020.

The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Denise M. Barton.

United States Attorney Aaron L. Weisman thanks the East Greenwich, West Warwick, Barrington and Middletown Police Departments, and the Rhode Island Department of Corrections for their assistance in the investigation of this matter.