ROCHESTER, N.Y.-Acting U.S. Attorney James P. Kennedy, Jr. announced today that Maria A. English, 28, of Rochester, NY, pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Elizabeth A. Wolford to conspiracy to commit bank fraud. The charge carries a maximum penalty of 30 years in prison and a fine of $1,000,000.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Tiffany H. Lee, who is handling the case, stated that between November 2012 and September 2013, English and co-conspirator, Michael Debardlabon, using the names, social security numbers and dates of birth of two different Florida residents, obtained financing to purchase used automobiles, including an Infinity, a Lexus and a BMW. The funding was obtained through financial institutions such as ESL and Ally Financial. The Florida residents never authorized the financial transactions to occur. In addition, on one occasion, the personal information of a third Florida resident was used to open an American Express card and charge air fare for English.
Michael Debardlabon was convicted and sentenced.
The plea was the culmination of an investigation on the part of the United States Postal Inspection Service, under the direction of Special Agent-in-Charge Shelly Binkowski, Boston Division, and the Rochester Police Department, under the direction of Chief Michael Ciminelli.
Sentencing is scheduled for Feb. 26, 2018, before Judge Wolford.
Source: U.S. Department of Justice, Office of the United States Attorneys
