United States Attorney's Office District of Connecticut
Press Release

COVENTRY MAN SENTENCED TO 33 MONTHS FOR ROLE IN BANK FRAUD SCHEME

Nora R. Dannehy, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, announced that JUSTIN EDWARDS, 27, of Coventry, was sentenced today by United States District Judge Stefan R. Underhill in Bridgeport to 33 months of imprisonment, followed by five years of supervised release, for his role in a bank fraud scheme.  On November 2, 2009, EDWARDS pleaded guilty to four counts of bank fraud and one count of conspiracy to commit bank fraud.

According to court documents and statements made in court, between July 2007 and March 2008, EDWARDS and Kyle Seibert of Canterbury stole balance transfer checks, also known as “convenience checks,” from residence mailboxes.  EDWARDS, Seibert and Timothy Taylor of Mansfield then opened several bank accounts at various Connecticut financial institutions, forged the stolen checks making them payable to themselves, and deposited them into accounts they had opened.  EDWARDS and Seibert then withdrew cash before the victim financial institutions discovered that the underlying deposits were fraudulent.

Through this scheme, EDWARDS and his co-conspirators deposited approximately $188,454 in fraudulent checks and were successful in defrauding the victim banks of $89,082.

Seibert and Taylor also pleaded guilty to charges stemming from their involvement in this scheme.  On January 5, 2010, Taylor was sentenced to three years of probation.  Seibert awaits sentencing.

This case was investigated by the United States Postal Inspection Service and the United States Secret Service.  The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Paul H. McConnell.

CONTACT:

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