Rochester Man Pleads Guilty To Bank Fraud And Identity Theft

CONTACT: Barbara Burns
PHONE: (716) 843-5817
FAX:  (716) 551-3051

ROCHESTER, N.Y.—U.S. Attorney William J. Hochul, Jr. announced today that Michael Debardlabon, 32, of Rochester, NY, pleaded guilty conspiracy to commit bank fraud and aggravated identity theft, before U.S. District Judge Elizabeth A. Wolford. Conspiracy to commit bank fraud carries a maximum penalty of 30 years in prison and a $1,000,000 fine. Aggravated identity theft carries a mandatory term of two years in prison to be served consecutively to any penalty imposed for bank fraud conspiracy.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Tiffany H. Lee, who is handling the case, stated that between November 2012 and September 2013, Debardlabon and a co-conspirator, using the name, social security numbers and dates of birth of two different Florida residents, obtained financing to purchase used automobiles (including an Infinity, a Lexus and a BMW) through financial institutions to include ESL and Ally Financial. The Florida residents never authorized the financial transactions to occur. In addition, on one occasion, the personal information of a third Florida resident was used to open an American Express card. Charges to the card included air fare for Debardlabon.

Charges are pending against co-conspirator Maria English. The fact that a defendant has been charged with a crime is merely an accusation and the defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty.

The plea is the culmination of an investigation on the part of the United States Postal Inspection Service under the direction of Shelly Binkowski, Inspector in Charge, Boston Division and the Rochester Police Department, under the direction of Chief Michael Ciminelli.