Michele Beckwith Acting U.S. Attorney | U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of California
A federal grand jury in Sacramento indicted Monique Marie Gonzales Grado, age 31, from Sacramento, on March 27, 2025, charging her with multiple counts of bank fraud and aggravated identity theft. This was announced by Acting U.S. Attorney Michele Beckwith.
Court documents reveal that Gonzales Grado used someone's identity to secure loans, including one for a Jaguar and another for supposed medical expenses. She allegedly deposited stolen, altered checks in accounts connected to these loans to gain access to the funds. Furthermore, it's claimed that another stolen check was deposited into a separate bank account under her name.
The investigation is being conducted by the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, with support from the California Highway Patrol. The prosecution is being overseen by Assistant U.S. Attorney Dhruv M. Sharma.
If found guilty, Gonzales Grado could face up to 30 years in prison and a $1 million fine for each bank fraud charge. Additionally, the aggravated identity theft charge carries a mandatory consecutive two-year sentence. Sentencing would consider various factors under federal guidelines, as the allegations remain to be proven in court.
"Any sentence, however, would be determined at the discretion of the court after consideration of any applicable statutory factors and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, which take into account a number of variables," the statement explained. "The charges are only allegations; the defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt."
