Mamadou Diallo, 44, of Jersey City, New Jersey, is headed to federal prison for 27 months after orchestrating a six-year scheme to rip off banks using forged passports and phony IRS refund checks. The Hudson County man admitted to conspiring with others to defraud financial institutions out of more than $450,000, a theft that relied on brazen identity swaps and fraudulent account openings.
Diallo pleaded guilty to one count of bank fraud conspiracy and one count of false use of a passport, charges he entered before U.S. District Judge Katharine S. Hayden in Newark federal court. Judge Hayden handed down the 27-month sentence and added three years of supervised release, along with an order for Diallo to pay $150,052 in restitution to the defrauded banks.
From June 2012 through December 2018, Diallo and co-conspirators created counterfeit passports by gluing their own photos onto legitimate documents bearing other people’s names. These doctored IDs were then used to open bank accounts under false identities—stepping stones for depositing fake IRS refund checks and quickly draining the accounts via ATMs and teller withdrawals.
The scam left banks holding worthless checks and out more than $450,000. Investigators said the operation was methodical, exploiting gaps in identity verification and banking protocols to cash in on the government’s refund system without ever filing real tax returns.
The probe was led by U.S. Postal Inspection Service, Homeland Security Investigations, the Treasury Department’s Office of Inspector General, and the New York State Department of Taxation and Finance. Acting U.S. Attorney Rachael A. Honig credited the multi-agency push that dismantled the ring and brought Diallo to justice.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Ari B. Fontecchio of the Special Prosecutions Division in Newark handled the prosecution. The case underscores the persistent threat of identity-based financial fraud and the federal crackdown on those abusing government systems for personal gain.
Related Federal Cases
- Shawn Hilliard Gets 12 Years for $1.3M Bank Fraud Scheme · Pennsylvania
- Pharmacy Owner Khaimov Gets 87 Months for $65M Fraud Scheme · New Jersey
- Ijaz Butt Gets 63 Months for $200M Credit Card Fraud · New Jersey
- Irfan Amanat Charged in $2M KITD, Maiden Capital Fraud Scheme · New Jersey
- Norman D’Souza Sentenced in $18M Loan Fraud Scheme · New Jersey
Key Facts
- State: New Jersey
- Agency: DOJ USAO
- Category: Fraud & Financial Crimes
- Source: Official Source ↗
🔒 Get the grimiest stories delivered weekly. Subscribe free →
Browse More
