Ryan Miller and Dusten James Miller, Bank Fraud, Massachusetts 2018

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Chicago Brothers Sentenced for $4 Million Airplane Loan Scam

BOSTON – In a brazen scheme to defraud banks, two Chicago brothers, Ryan Miller and Dusten James Miller, have been sentenced to prison for their roles in an airplane loan scam that swindled $4 million from unsuspecting lenders.

According to court documents, the brothers, aged 32 and 31 respectively, were convicted in February 2018 of conspiracy to commit bank fraud, conspiracy to commit money laundering, and conspiracy to commit identity theft. Additional charges against Ryan Miller included bank fraud, money laundering, and aggravated identity theft.

The scam, which spanned from March 2013 through March 2016, involved the brothers posing as buyers and sellers of airplanes using stolen identities. They submitted fraudulent loan applications and provided fake documents to support their claims, including tax returns, bank statements, driver’s licenses, and Social Security cards.

Once the loans were approved, the brothers arranged for the documents to be sent to a fake email address or a virtual office location. They then signed and notarized the documents, sending them back to the banks, which wired the funds to sham corporations controlled by the brothers.

The brothers used the stolen funds to purchase luxury items, including cars, homes, private chauffeurs, and Rolex watches. Their scheme defrauded at least five banks and used the personal identifying information of at least nine individuals from across the country.

U.S. Attorney Andrew E. Lelling, FBI Special Agent Harold H. Shaw, and U.S. Department of Transportation Inspector General Thomas J. Ullom announced the sentencing. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Karin M. Bell and Greg A. Friedholm prosecuted the case.

Ryan Miller was sentenced to 15 years in prison and five years of supervised release, while Dusten James Miller received a 12-year sentence and five years of supervised release.

The sentencing brings an end to a complex and far-reaching scheme that involved multiple banks and individuals across the country. The brothers’ actions have left a trail of financial devastation in their wake, and their prison sentences serve as a reminder of the consequences of white-collar crime.