United States Attorney's Office District of Connecticut
Press Release

Identity and Document Fraud Task Force: BRAZILIAN NATIONAL SENTENCED TO FEDERAL PRISON FOR PARTICIPATION IN BANK FRAUD CONSPIRACY

Nora R. Dannehy, Acting United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, announced that RONALDO DeSOUZA, 27, a citizen of Brazil last residing in Hartford, was sentenced today by Senior United States District Judge Alan H. Nevas in Bridgeport to 10 months of imprisonment, followed by three years of supervised release.  On July 1, 2008, DeSOUZA pleaded guilty 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.

Today, Judge Nevas ordered DeSOUZA, jointly and severally with Reginaldo DeSouza, to pay restitution in the amount of $137,062.39.

DeSOUZA, who has been detained since his arrest on March 19, 2008, is subject to deportation following service of his prison term.

On July 25, 2008, Reginaldo DeSouza was sentenced by Judge Nevas to 12 months of imprisonment, followed by three years of supervised release.

This matter was investigated by the United States Secret Service.  This case was 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