Related Federal Cases
Florida Duo Plead Guilty to Bank Scam in Cincinnati
CINCINNATI – Deon O. Noel, 28, and Diamond Bezada, 25, both from Miami, Florida, have pleaded guilty to conspiring to commit bank fraud through a phone scam that compromised 11 bank accounts and more than $108,000.
According to court documents, the scam targeted Fifth Third Bank customers in the Southern District of Ohio. Noel and Bezada would call the victims, fraudulently representing themselves as bank employees. They would then obtain the victims’ bank account and security information.
Coconspirators would use the stolen information to contact the bank, posing as the victims, and add their bank account information to a pay app. Noel and Bezada then received the stolen funds, which they used to purchase goods, services, and money orders, primarily in Las Vegas, Nevada.
As part of their plea agreements, Noel and Bezada have agreed to pay the total funds in restitution. Conspiracy to commit bank fraud is a federal crime punishable by up to 30 years in prison. Kenneth L. Parker, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Ohio, announced the guilty pleas.
The investigation was led by the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Cincinnati Division. Senior U.S. District Judge Michael R. Barrett accepted the guilty pleas. Assistant United States Attorneys Timothy S. Mangan and Ryan A. Keefe are representing the United States in this case.
Noel and Bezada’s sentencing will be determined by the court based on the advisory sentencing guidelines and other statutory factors. The case serves as a reminder of the dangers of phone scams and the importance of protecting personal financial information.
The guilty pleas were announced by Kenneth L. Parker, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Ohio, and J. William Rivers, Special Agent in Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Cincinnati Division.
Key Facts
- State: Ohio
- Category: Fraud & Financial Crimes
- Source: DOJ Press Release â†â€â€
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