News Release
U.S. Department of Justice
United States Attorney
District of Rhode Island
September 3, 2009
Last of five defendants sentenced in $283,000
fraudulent check scheme
A federal judge today sentenced Paula Marcelli 40, of Woonsocket to two years in federal prison for a fraudulent check scheme that she and her husband, Edward Marcelli, 33, orchestrated. The Marcellis obtained fraudulent identification documents in their names or in the names of three codefendants. The defendants opened bank accounts using the fraudulent documents and bought more than $283,000 worth of merchandise in Rhode Island, Massachusetts, and Connecticut, using worthless checks written against those accounts.
Acting United States Attorney Luis M. Matos announced the sentence, which U.S. District Court Judge William E. Smith imposed in U.S. District Court, Providence.
In May, Judge Smith sentenced Edward Marcelli to 34 months in prison for his role in the scheme. He has also ordered the Marcellis to repay various retail stores a total of $283,035.
In January, Judge Smith sentenced Suneet Sharma, 33, of Mansfield, Massachusetts, and Sterling Chapman, 48, of Augusta, Maine, to probation, and ordered them to pay various amounts of restitution. Last December, Chief U.S. District Court Judge Mary M. Lisi sentenced another defendant in the scheme, Michael Luchessi, 53, of Woonsocket, to probation, and ordered him to pay restitution.
All five defendants pleaded guilty to their roles in the check scheme. During court hearings, Assistant U.S. Attorney Andrew J. Reich said that the government could prove that, in 2004 and 2005, the Marcellis assisted Sharma, Chapman and Luchessi in obtaining false identification documents by providing them with lease agreements with fraudulent home addresses. The Marcellis also used fake lease agreements to obtain fraudulent identification documents for themselves.
Using the fraudulent identification, the defendants opened accounts at various banks, typically depositing $100. They then went to various retail stores in Rhode Island, Connecticut and Massachusetts and paid for merchandise with worthless checks. Most of the merchandise, bought at such stores as Home Depot, Lowes, and Wal-Mart, was transported to the Marcelli’s home in Woonsocket.
Sharma wrote a total of 48 fraudulent checks totaling $80,255.82, Chapman wrote 13 checks totaling $20,736.76, and Luchessi 24 checks totaling $42,507.96. In addition, Edward Marcelli wrote 62 worthless checks in amounts totaling $90,283.26, and Paula Marcelli wrote 15 checks in amounts totaling $49,372.19.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation investigated the case.
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Contact: 401-709-5032
usari-media@usdoj.gov