E. Martin Estrada, U.S. Attorney | U.S. Attorney's Office for the Central District of California
A man from San Fernando Valley has been sentenced to 61 months in federal prison for orchestrating an identity theft and mail fraud scheme that accrued at least $1.8 million. Oren David Sela, aged 36 from North Hills, received the sentence from United States District Judge Dolly M. Gee, who also decreed Sela pay $1,818,369 in restitution.
In October 2024, Sela admitted to committing bank fraud and aggravated identity theft. He has been in custody since October 2023. Between November 2021 and October 2023, Sela engaged in stealing mail to obtain personal identification information, including Social Security numbers and bank account details from Beverly Hills residents. Using this information, he accessed online banking accounts and circumvented security measures such as two-factor authentication through tactics like SIM-swapping.
Sela opened fraudulent accounts and moved funds into accounts he controlled, withdrawing or transferring money for his own use. His activities included making hundreds of fraudulent transactions, attempting to steal approximately $2,590,836 and successfully stealing about $1,818,369.
The perpetrator defrauded numerous banks and affected at least 62 individuals, including elderly victims, using the stolen funds to buy luxury items like an expensive watch. In 2022, Sela was apprehended in Beverly Hills with $25,000 in cash and various fraudulent bank cards linked to elderly victims. His release from custody was followed by continued illegal activities, during which subsequent searches unearthed a trove of cash, jewelry, stolen mail, and sensitive personal information from additional victims.
The investigation was conducted by the United States Secret Service and the Beverly Hills Police Department. Assistant United States Attorneys Aaron B. Frumkin, from the Cyber and Intellectual Property Crimes Section, and Jena A. MacCabe, from the Violent and Organized Crime Section, led the prosecution.
