PLANO (1080 KRLD)- A Plano man who swiped passports then used the stolen identities to steal more than $6.7 -million dollars has been convicted of fraud and money laundering.
Babatope Joseph Aderinoye, 30, used the identities in e-mails that conned victims out of more than $6.7 million dollars in just 15-months.
U.S District Judge Amos Mazzant found Aderinoye guilty of conspiracy to commit bank fraud, wire fraud, and money laundering, wire fraud, aggravated identity theft, and mail fraud after a 4 day bench trial. A sentencing date will be set. The charges carry a possible 30-year prison term.
Among the intended victims was the Community ISD in the Collin County town of Nevada. The District says in a statement that Aderinoye contacted an employee January 7, 2019 in an attempt to steal money. However, the employee did not fall for the scheme and later became a material witness in the trial.
Not all were so lucky. Victims included Project 4031, a non-profit organization that helps families of the terminally ill, an individual whose identity was used to drain his retirement account, and an elderly man who had over $352,000 stolen from his investment account, said the U. S Attorney's office for the Eastern District of Texas in a statement.
"I get calls at least once a month from a businesses or individuals that have been defrauded by people that are using phony IDs in an effort to tray to gain a company or individual's confidence" said Richard Roper, former U. S Attorney for the Northern District of Texas.
The judge has ordered a presentence report to be completed before a sentencing date is set.
