Harold Sobel, Bank Fraud, Nevada 2023

Defendant Sentenced for Role in Sophisticated International Scheme to Steal Money from American Consumers' Bank Accounts

LAS VEGAS – Harold Sobel, 69, a U.S. citizen who previously resided in Ukraine, was sentenced to 42 months in prison and five years of supervised release for conspiracy to commit bank fraud.

According to court documents, Sobel was a member of an international criminal enterprise that unlawfully debited money from the bank accounts of unknowing U.S. victims. Members of the criminal enterprise created shell companies for the purpose of receiving victim funds and created fake websites for the shell companies that claimed to offer products or services, such as cloud storage.

Members then executed unauthorized debits against victims’ bank accounts, while falsely representing to banks that the debits were authorized by the victims.

“The Justice will vigorously pursue and prosecute individuals who steal from American consumers’ bank accounts and deceive U.S. banks to conceal and continue their schemes,” said Principal Assistant Attorney General Brian M. Boynton, head of the Justice’s Civil Division.

The unauthorized debits against victim accounts caused by the conspirators resulted in returned transactions and high return rates that often generated scrutiny from the banks. To both conceal and continue making these unauthorized debits, members of the criminal enterprise made misrepresentations to the financial institutions about the transactions, claiming that they were authorized.

As part of the enterprise, Sobel opened bank accounts in the United States at the direction of a co-conspirator who organized and conducted the affairs of the enterprise from outside the United States. For example, on or about Oct. 16, 2019, Sobel opened four business deposit accounts at a bank branch in Las Vegas, Nevada. Sobel opened the accounts for a shell company called “Silver Safe Box” and listed himself as the sole member and authorized signer in the account opening documentation.

The criminal enterprise also operated a call center that fielded complaints from victims of the unauthorized debits. The call center sought to dissuade victims from making reports to the victims’ banks and to government agencies.

Between approximately December 2019 and January 2021, the Silver Safe Box accounts funded over 800,000 “micro debits” in amounts ranging from $0.99 to $1.85.

Sobel also recruited at least two associates in the United States to help the foreign co-conspirator, among other tasks.

Defendant: Harold Sobel

Criminal Charges: Conspiracy to commit bank fraud

City and State: Las Vegas, Nevada

Date: 2023 (no specific date provided)

Sentence: 42 months in prison and five years of supervised release

Dollar Amounts: $0.99 to $1.85 (micro debits)

Source: https://www.justice.gov/usao-nv/pr/defendant-sentenced-role-sophisticated-international-scheme-steal-money-american