Fresno Man Pleads Guilty to Identity Theft and Bank Fraud Charges
Fresno, CA – In a shocking case of identity theft, Brian Stoffel, a 38-year-old man from Fresno, has pleaded guilty to using a stolen identity to steal hundreds of thousands of dollars from banks and the federal government.
According to court documents, between September 2020 and August 2021, Stoffel obtained the personally identifiable information of a victim and used it to drain the victim’s savings and apply for loans in the victim’s identity.
The scheme resulted in a loss of $420,000, which Stoffel used for personal expenses, including buying a new motorcycle and making purchases at retail stores.
This case is the product of an investigation by the Fresno County Sheriff’s Office Elder Abuse Unit and the Federal Bureau of Investigation.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Joseph Barton is prosecuting the case.
Stoffel is scheduled to be sentenced by U.S. District Judge Jennifer L. Thurston on February 2, 2023.
Stoffel faces a maximum penalty of 30 years in prison and $1 million fine for the bank fraud charge and mandatory two years in prison, consecutive to other counts, for the identity theft charge.
The actual sentence will be determined at the discretion of the court after consideration of any applicable statutory factors and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, which take into account a number of variables.
Related Federal Cases
- Nazaret Chakrian, ID Theft and Wire Fraud, California 2023 · Idaho
- Christopher Guilford, Tax Refund Scheme, California 2025 · Alaska
- Frank Hamilton Sentenced to 5.5 Years for SBA Scam, California, 2023 · Texas
- Amy Evangelista, Tax Fraud, California 2023 · California
- Amy Evangelista, Tax Evasion, California 2026 · New York
Key Facts
- State: California
- Category: Fraud & Financial Crimes
- Source: DOJ Press Release â†â€â€
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