SACRAMENTO, Calif. — Gabriel Adrien Lobe Diop, 35, a French national previously residing in Fremont and Agoura Hills, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge William B. Shubb to 10 years in prison and ordered to pay $1.8 million in restitution for nine counts of mail fraud and one count of aggravated identity theft, according to U.S. Attorney Phillip A. Talbert.
Talbert said, “It took a remarkable amount of energy for the defendant to steal nearly $2 million from the State Controller’s Office and attempt to steal millions more. Today’s sentence should make it clear that my office and our law enforcement partners will put similar energy into bringing those who commit serious white-collar crimes to justice.”
Rafael Nunez, Inspector in Charge of the San Francisco Division of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, stated: “Postal Inspectors work closely with the U.S. Attorney’s Office and our partners in law enforcement to arrest and prosecute those individuals responsible for fraud schemes committed against the public.”
State Controller Malia Cohen said: “The State Controller’s Office has a zero-tolerance policy on any criminal activities related to theft from the Unclaimed Property Division. Mr. Diop’s sophisticated fraud scheme was insufficient to bypass detection, and he was ultimately apprehended, tried, and convicted for his criminal activities. I believe Diop’s sentence was appropriate and want to thank law enforcement for their good work in bringing him to justice.”
Court documents reveal that between 2019 and 2021, Diop orchestrated a scheme to fraudulently obtain millions of dollars of Unclaimed Property Division funds from the California State Controller’s Office by assuming the identities of victims. He concealed his involvement using post office boxes, mail forwarding requests, counterfeit notary stamps, and falsified driver licenses. Starting in January 2019, Diop attempted to steal at least $9 million, fraudulently obtaining at least $1.8 million before law enforcement intervention.
Law enforcement agents executed search and arrest warrants at Diop’s residence in Agoura Hills in June 2021, seizing counterfeit stamps, falsified driver licenses, bank cards, and check books in his victims’ names. The case was a result of an investigation by the U.S. Postal Inspection Service with assistance from the California State Controller’s Office, Sacramento Valley Hi-Tech Crimes Task Force, and the U.S. Postal Service Office of Inspector General. Assistant U.S. Attorney Sam Stefanki prosecuted the case.
RELATED: French National Gets 10 Years for $2M State Controller Heist
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Key Facts
- State: California
- Agency: DOJ USAO
- Category: Fraud & Financial Crimes|White Collar Crime
- Source: Official Source ↗
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