United States Attorney's Office District of Connecticut
Press Release

Identity and Document Fraud Task Force: BRAZILIAN NATIONAL ADMITS PARTICIPATION IN BANK FRAUD CONSPIRACY

Nora R. Dannehy, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, announced that RONALDO DeSOUZA, 27, a citizen of Brazil last residing in Hartford, pleaded guilty today before United States District Judge Alan H. Nevas in Bridgeport to one count of conspiracy to commit bank fraud.

According to documents filed with the Court and statements made in court, DeSOUZA conspired with his brother, Reginaldo DeSouza, to defraud Webster Bank by depositing checks from accounts with insufficient funds into multiple Webster Bank accounts, and then by withdrawing funds from those accounts while the deposited checks were being processed.  As a result of this conspiracy, Webster Bank lost approximately $137,062.39.

Judge Nevas has scheduled sentencing for September 8, 2008, at which time DeSOUZA faces a maximum term of imprisonment of five years and a maximum fine of $250,000, as well as mandatory restitution of the loss amount.

Reginaldo DeSouza pleaded guilty on May 20, 2008.  He awaits sentencing.

The DeSOUZA brothers have been detained since their arrests on March 19, 2008.

This matter was investigated by the United States Secret Service.  This case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Jonathan S. Freimann.

The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Connecticut coordinates an Identity and Document Fraud Task Force, which was formed in response to the April 2007 recommendations of the President’s Task Force on Identity Theft.  The task force includes representatives from the U.S. Attorney’s Office, Connecticut State Police, U.S. Department of State, Federal Bureau of Investigation, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, U.S. Postal Inspection Service, U.S. Secret Service, and Social Security Administration.  Individuals or institutions with information or complaints about identity theft can contact the task force by sending an email message to USACT.IDFraud@usdoj.gov.

CONTACT:

U.S. ATTORNEY'S OFFICE
Tom Carson
(203) 821-3722
thomas.carson@usdoj.gov