Rosemay G. Manzano, 40, of Crestview, Florida, was indicted by a federal grand jury on Aug. 3 for 17 counts of bank fraud, 19 counts of money laundering, one count of aggravated identity theft, and five counts of filing a false tax return. John P. Heekin, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Florida, announced the charges in Pensacola.
Manzano appeared for her arraignment before Chief United States Magistrate Judge Michael J. Frank in Pensacola. A jury trial is scheduled for September 21 before United States District Court Judge T. Kent Wetherell II.
If convicted, Manzano faces up to 30 years’ imprisonment for each bank fraud count; two years’ imprisonment consecutive to any other sentence for aggravated identity theft; up to ten years per money laundering count; and up to three years per false tax return count. She also faces possible restitution and forfeiture of assets.
The case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Internal Revenue Service-Criminal Investigations, and the Okaloosa County Sheriff’s Office. Assistant United States Attorney Alicia H. Forbes is prosecuting the case.
“An indictment is merely an allegation by a grand jury that a defendant has committed a violation of federal criminal law and is not evidence of guilt,” according to the announcement. “All defendants are presumed innocent and entitled to a fair trial, during which it will be the government’s burden to prove guilt beyond a reasonable doubt at trial.” The investigation is part of President Donald J. Trump’s Task Force to Eliminate Fraud—a whole-of-government effort chaired by Vice President J.D. Vance—to address fraud within federal benefit programs.
The Department of Justice recently announced the creation of its National Fraud Enforcement Division (“Fraud Division”), which investigates and prosecutes those who commit fraud against Americans as part of this broader initiative.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Florida serves as one of 94 offices under direction from the Attorney General and covers 23 counties including Tallahassee and parts of the Panhandle through facilities in Tallahassee, Pensacola and Gainesville while collaborating with law enforcement agencies through initiatives such as Project Safe Childhood, according to its official website.