Kevin Marseille, Identity Theft, Massachusetts 2017

BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS – Boston Man Linked to $20,000 Retirement Account Heist Pleads Guilty

A Boston man has pleaded guilty to identity theft, access device fraud, and conspiracy to commit those offenses in a scheme to steal personal information and bank account numbers. Kevin Marseille, 26, entered his plea in connection with the scheme that netted thousands of dollars from retirement accounts.

According to court documents, Marseille approached a customer service employee at Mercer, Inc., in Norwood, Mass. in 2014. He used the employee to obtain personally identifiable information and bank account information for individuals whose retirement accounts were administered by Mercer. From February 2014 to April 2014, the employee accessed customer account information from her computer and provided this information to Marseille via email.

Marseille obtained the names, addresses, and bank account and routing numbers for approximately 270 Mercer account holders. In many cases, he also obtained account holders’ dates of birth and social security numbers. He further sought and obtained detailed account access information, including usernames, answers to password-reset questions, and detailed instructions about how to access and withdraw funds from four retirement accounts with substantial balances.

The retirement account information was used to load a prepaid card with nearly $20,000 in fraudulently obtained funds. Marseille then used the prepaid card to purchase electronic goods and other products at retailers, including Target and Best Buy. Intervention by Mercer and law enforcement prevented further account access and withdrawals.

Banks, the Mercer employee, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit access device fraud and identity theft in March 2016 and is scheduled to be sentenced on March 27, 2017. Marseille is scheduled to be sentenced on May 31, 2017.

Under federal sentencing guidelines, Marseille faces up to 10 years in prison and a fine of $250,000 or twice the gross gain or loss, whichever is greater. Actual sentences for federal crimes are typically less than the maximum penalties. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

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