New York Man Sentenced to 175 Months for Leadership Role in Mortgage Office Burglary and Bank Fraud Scheme

NEWPORT NEWS, Va. – A New York man was sentenced to 175 months in prison for his role in a complex mortgage office burglary and bank fraud scheme that spanned multiple states and involved over $254,995 in stolen funds.

Jeffrey Washington, 36, of New York, NY, was sentenced to 175 months in prison, followed by five years of supervised release, for conspiracy to commit bank fraud and aggravated identity theft. The defendant was ordered to pay restitution in the amount of $254,995.71.

According to court documents, Washington was involved in a multi-defendant ring that burglarized Wells Fargo mortgage offices in New York, New Jersey, Connecticut, and Maryland between 2012 and 2013. The group stole over 1,800 mortgage files, which were then used in various bank customer impersonation and retail credit fraud schemes targeting various banks and retailers.

Washington recruited individuals to go into banks, impersonate customers, and remove funds by setting up business accounts and transferring funds from the accounts of bank customers. He and other defendants traveled from New York to Virginia on multiple occasions throughout 2012 and 2013. Despite the arrest of a co-defendant in August 2013, Washington continued to burglarize mortgage offices until his arrest in May 2014.

At the time of the offense, Washington was on probation. He pleaded guilty to the charges on August 28, 2014. Three other defendants have also pleaded guilty, while a fourth remains pending trial.

Washington’s case was investigated by the United States Secret Service and the United States Postal Inspection Service. Assistant U.S. Attorney Brian J. Samuels is prosecuting the case on behalf of the United States.

The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia made the announcement after sentencing by U.S. District Judge Arenda L. Wright Allen.

A copy of this press release may be found on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia. Related court documents and information may be found on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case No. 4:14CR32.

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