PHILADELPHIA MAN PLEADS GUILTY TO FEDERAL BANK FRAUD CONSPIRACY AND IDENTITY THEFT CHARGES

(Richmond, VA) -Two individuals have entered guilty pleas in connection with a bank fraud and identity theft scheme that originated in Philadelphia and resulted in fraudulent transactions in the Metro-Richmond area. Defendant Antar Bush, age of 27, of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, pled guilty today to a Conspiracy to Commit Bank Fraud and one count of Aggravated Identity Theft. The conspiracy carries a maximum penalty of 30 years in prison and a fine of up to $1 million dollars. Aggravated Identity Theft carries a mandatory term of two years of imprisonment, which must run consecutive to time received on the conspiracy charge, as well as a fine of up to $250,000.00. Bush will face sentencing before United States District Judge Henry E. Hudson on March 21, 2008. Chuck Rosenberg, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia, announced the plea.

Codefendant Kevin Brown, age 31 of Willingboro, New Jersey, plead guilty to the same charges in September 2007. Brown will be sentenced on January 3, 2008.

The defendants acknowledged participation in a conspiracy that began in December 2005, and continued until March 2007. The scheme involved the use of counterfeit checks that were presented to area merchants. The checks were created using the routing numbers of legitimate financial institutions. When passing the bad checks, the defendants presented fictitious out-of-state driver’s licenses using the identities of real individuals. The conspiracy is responsible for negotiating a total of $378,785.28 in counterfeit checks for transactions occurring in Virginia and other states along the east coast.

The case is being investigated by law enforcement officers from the Henrico County Division of Police and the United States Postal Inspection Service, as members of the Metro-Richmond Identity Theft Task Force. In addition, the Task Force received investigative assistance from the National White Collar Crime Center based in Glen Allen, Virginia. Other member agencies of the Task Force include: the United States Secret Service; the Federal Bureau of Investigation; Bureau of Diplomatic Security, U.S. Department of State; the Richmond Police Department; and the Chesterfield County Police Department. Federal prosecutions for the Task Force are handled by the United States Attorney’s Office and the Office of the Attorney General for the Commonwealth of Virginia. For more information on the Task Force, including assistance for victims of identity theft, visit: www.richmondIDtheft.com.

The case is being prosecuted by Special Assistant United States Attorney and Senior Assistant Attorney General David W. Tooker.

###