NORFOLK, Va. – Cameron Allen, 27, of Norfolk, Va., was sentenced to 46 months in prison, followed by 5 years of supervised release, for conspiracy to commit bank fraud. Dymond Chappelle, 19, of Portsmouth, Va., was also sentenced to 20 months in prison, followed by 5 years of supervised release, for conspiracy to commit bank fraud.
Chappelle pled guilty on May 12, 2014, and Allen pled guilty on May 13, 2014.
According to court documents, from January 2013 to March 2013, Allen, Chappelle, and three co-conspirators executed a fraud and identity theft scheme through which they stole approximately $87,000 from Navy Federal Credit Union. A co-conspirator illegally obtained 291 apartment lease applications, each of which contained the applicant’s personal information such as name, date of birth, social security number, and bank account information. Using this personal information, Chappelle and Allen were able to gain access to their accounts.
They persuaded other individuals with NFCU accounts to serve as “hosts” for fraudulent transactions often by telling them that they lost their ATM card and needed help getting cash. Chappelle, Allen or one of their co-conspirators called NFCU under a victim’s identity and requested electronic funds transfers to the host accounts. The hosts then withdrew the money and provided it to Chappelle, Allen or a co-conspirator. The members of the scheme accessed the accounts of 21 individuals.
This case was investigated by the Naval Criminal Investigative Service and the Norfolk Police Department. Assistant United States Attorney Randy Stoker prosecuted the case on behalf of the United States.
SOURCE: U.S. Attorney’s Office, Eastern District of Virginia
Note: Court documents reveal that the lease applications were from North Shore Gardens Apartments in Norfolk, Virginia. It is not clear from the filings how the conspirators obtained those applications, however.