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Identity Thief Sentenced to 20 Years
A former Delray Beach resident, Jeffrey Emil Groover, 53, has been convicted of identity theft and bank fraud. Groover was found guilty of one count of conspiracy to commit bank fraud, three counts of bank fraud, and two counts of aggravated identity theft.
According to evidence presented at trial, Groover used the personal identifying information of an individual to open a checking account and obtain a debit/VISA card at TD Bank. He then used the individual’s information to open a second account at PNC Bank, where he withdrew approximately $170,000.
Groover’s scheme involved forging the individual’s name on a signature card and using a fraudulent photo-switched Florida Driver’s License to obtain the debit/VISA card. He also directed the PNC banker to set up overdraft protection using the individual’s existing home equity line of credit.
This is not Groover’s first conviction for identity theft. In a separate case, he was sentenced to 60 months in prison and ordered to pay $350,373.86 in restitution for his role in an identity theft tax refund fraud scheme.
Groover’s extensive criminal history and failure to be deterred by previous convictions were cited by the judge in sentencing him to 20 years in prison. His sentencing is scheduled for September 3, 2014, before U.S. District Judge Dimitrouleas.
The case was investigated by the Internal Revenue Service, Criminal Investigation (IRS-CI), and is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Adrienne Rabinowitz and Alexandra Hui.
Groover’s testimony to the Senate Special Committee on Aging in 2004, in which he described the ease of committing identity theft, was also highlighted by the judge as a factor in his sentencing decision.
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Key Facts
- State: Florida
- Category: White Collar Crime
- Source: DOJ Press Release â†â€â€
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