Austyn Enahoro Afenkhena, 53, of Houston, Texas, has entered a guilty plea to eleven counts of wire fraud and four counts of aggravated identity theft, announced United States Attorney Kenneth Magidson.
The scheme, which began in at least January 2008 and continued through June 2013, involved Afenkhena obtaining credit cards created from stolen identities. He would then run the cards through his storefront, Phase 2 Auto Repair on Harwin Drive, to obtain cash.
To facilitate the scheme, Afenkhena created fake merchant accounts under the names of Phase 2 Auto Inc., Phase 2 Automotive, ENA Auto Repair, and ENA Automotive. He used these accounts to obtain multiple credit card machines on which to run the fraudulent cards.
Afenkhena also created false documentation, including invoices and receipts, to falsely represent to multiple banking institutions that transactions occurred at his store. The investigation revealed that Afenkhena fraudulently received at least $350,000 as a result of his scheme.
U.S. District Judge David Hittner accepted the plea and set sentencing for September 11, 2014. At that time, Afenkhena faces up to 30 years in federal prison and a possible $1 million fine for each count of wire fraud. He also faces a mandatory two-year-term for aggravated identity theft, which must be served consecutively to any other sentence imposed.
The investigation was conducted by the U.S. Postal Inspection Service. Assistant U.S. Attorney Julie Searle is prosecuting the case against Afenkhena.
Afenkhena’s actions demonstrate a blatant disregard for the law and the trust placed in him as a business owner. His guilty plea is a significant step towards justice for the victims of his scheme.
Related Federal Cases
- Shannon Tecoko Mays, Conspiracy to Commit Wire Fraud, Texas, 2012 · Texas
- Tracy Mitchell, Identity Theft, Montgomery AL, 2013 · Texas
- David William Welbig, Aggravated Identity Theft, Albuquerque NM, 2014 · New Mexico
- Albert Davis, Wire Fraud, Kansas City, MO, 2023 · Missouri
- Angel Lara-Merida, Identity Theft, Kenner LA, 2023 · Louisiana
Key Facts
- State: Texas
- Category: Fraud & Financial Crimes
- Source: DOJ Press Release â†â€â€
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