CLEVELAND – Jocelyn Hale, a 32-year-old Cleveland woman, was handed a 45-month prison sentence and ordered to pay $78,004 in restitution for her role in a multi-faceted financial fraud scheme. United States Attorney Steven M. Dettelbach announced the severe penalties.
Hale pleaded guilty to conspiracy charges involving bank and wire fraud, mail fraud, money laundering, and aggravated identity theft. She admitted to using stolen identities to defraud Citizens Bank, Lending Club Corporation, and Wells Fargo Bank. Alongside her co-defendant, Angelique Bankston, 42, from South Euclid, they attempted to launder the proceeds of their fraudulent activities.
Bankston faces her own sentencing on April 23, 2014, for a litany of charges including wire fraud, bank fraud, and making false statements. The jury convicted her after a three-week trial.
Hale’s frauds included funding a Wells Fargo account with $13,027.22 in fraudulent checks and attempting to remove the money. She also used stolen identities to file false unemployment claims against the Ohio Department of Job and Family Services, defrauding them out of funds.
This case was a collaborative effort by federal law enforcement agencies, including the IRS-CI, FBI, and U.S. Postal Inspection Service, all based in Cleveland. Assistant U.S. Attorney Mark S. Bennett and Special AUSA Perry D. Mastrocola led the prosecution.
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Key Facts
- State: Ohio
- Agency: DOJ USAO
- Category: Fraud & Financial Crimes
- Source: Official Source ↗
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