California Woman Sentenced for Bank Fraud and Identity Theft

A California woman was sentenced to 70 months in prison for her role in a bank fraud and identity theft scheme that affected Bank of America across the country.

According to court documents, Cassandra Montrevel, 26, of Sacramento, CA, was convicted of conspiracy to commit bank fraud and aggravated identity theft. She was sentenced to 70 months in prison and ordered to pay restitution in the amount of $326,000 by U.S. District Judge David G. Larimer.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Tiffany H. Lee, who handled the case, stated that the defendant conspired with others to execute a scheme to defraud Bank of America by flying to different branches across the country, posing as actual bank account holders, and attempting to make cash withdrawals.

Montrevel flew into the Western District of New York in March 2011, where she attempted to withdraw money from the account of a Texas resident by presenting a fake Texas driver’s license using the name of the actual account holder. She also presented the correct social security number of the true account holder.

The sentencing is the culmination of an investigation on the part of the United States Secret Service, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Tracy Gast, the Monroe County Sheriff’s Office, under the direction of Sheriff Patrick O’Flynn, the Gates Police Department, under the direction of Chief David DiCaro, the Irondequoit Police Department, under the direction of Chief Richard Boyan, and the Batavia Police Department under the direction of Chief Shawn Heubusch.

Montrevel admitted to executing the scheme in Florida, Georgia, Tennessee, Illinois and New York as well. The investigation revealed a widespread scheme that targeted Bank of America branches across the country.

The sentence handed down by Judge Larimer marks a significant victory for law enforcement in their efforts to combat financial crimes. The case serves as a reminder of the importance of vigilance in protecting personal and financial information.

U.S. Attorney William J. Hochul, Jr. praised the efforts of the law enforcement agencies involved in the investigation, stating that their work is crucial in bringing perpetrators of financial crimes to justice.