Monique Marie Gonzales Grado, 32, of Sacramento, faced the court today after admitting to a brazen bank fraud and identity theft operation that netted her two luxury cars. The U.S. Attorney Eric Grant announced the guilty plea.
Court documents reveal that between Aug. 7, 2022, and Oct. 3, 2022, Gonzales Grado executed a scheme so audacious she managed to secure a car loan for a Mercedes-Benz, another for a Jaguar, and a personal loan under false pretenses. Her deceit didn’t end there; she also deposited stolen checks made out to the victim’s name into a credit union account.
But the extent of her deception went beyond just financial manipulation. Gonzales Grado used the victim’s identity to open mobile phone accounts, lease an apartment, and even avoided a traffic citation by presenting the victim’s driver’s license.
The scheme unraveled when law enforcement apprehended her during a meeting regarding probation terms. She was driving the Jaguar she obtained through fraud, leading to the discovery of numerous items in the victim’s name, including a driver’s license, Social Security card, and several debit and credit cards.
This case is a testament to the collaborative efforts of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service and the California Highway Patrol. Assistant U.S. Attorney Dhruv M. Sharma is leading the prosecution.
Gonzales Grado is set to be sentenced by Senior U.S. District Judge John A. Mendez on Jan. 6, 2026. The defendant faces up to 30 years in prison and a $1 million fine for bank fraud, with an additional two-year sentence for aggravated identity theft. She also agreed to pay $150,000 in restitution. However, the actual sentence will be determined by the court’s discretion.
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Key Facts
- State: California
- Agency: DOJ USAO
- Category: Fraud & Financial Crimes|White Collar Crime|Organized Crime
- Source: Official Source ↗
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