Jaynesh Umesh Patel, Bank Fraud and Identity Theft, West Virginia 2022

A Morgantown man has been accused of stealing nearly half a million dollars in a bank fraud scheme involving the forgery of checks that belonged to a relative.

According to a recent indictment, Jaynesh Umesh Patel, 40, used the identity of a relative to create fraudulent bank accounts and then forged checks to be deposited. The total amount of fraud alleged is more than $450,000.

The scheme occurred from June 2019 until October 2022 in Harrison, Marion, and Monongalia Counties.

“Sadly, those who engage in white-collar crime are often related to their victims, and that is the case here,” said United States Attorney William Ihlenfeld. “We will continue to make sure offenders are held to account and do everything within our power to recover the amount lost.”

Patel faces up to 30 years of incarceration and a fine of up to $1 million for each of the three counts of bank fraud and faces up to two years of incarceration for each of the two counts of aggravated identity theft. Under the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed will be based upon the seriousness of the offenses and the prior criminal history, if any, of the defendant.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Andrew R. Cogar is prosecuting the case on behalf of the government. The FBI investigated.

An indictment is merely an accusation. A defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.

Morgantown, West Virginia, 5/6/2024

Jaynesh Umesh Patel, 40, is the defendant in this case, and he faces multiple charges of bank fraud and aggravated identity theft. The alleged scheme resulted in a loss of over $450,000.

The indictment was announced by United States Attorney William Ihlenfeld, and the case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Andrew R. Cogar.

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