Man Charged With Bank Fraud

NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA – JOSHUA HOCKLESS, age 29, a resident of Belle Chasse, was charged on December 11, 2020 with one count of bank fraud in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 1344, announced U.S. Attorney Peter G. Strasser. If convicted, HOCKLESS faces maximum penalties of 30 years imprisonment, a $1,000,000 fine, 5 years of supervised release, and a $100 special assessment.

According to the bill of information, between October 2013 and July 2014, HOCKLESS executed a scheme to fraudulently obtain approximately $87,489.34 from USAA Bank by taking advantage of USAA’s policy of honoring checks and cash transfers of enlisted personnel before the funds cleared the issuing bank. To that end, HOCKLESS opened, and caused to be opened, accounts at third-party banks. HOCKLESS used these accounts to make online transfers of cash to USAA even though the third-party bank accounts contained insufficient funds to cover the transfers. HOCKLESS then withdrew or caused these funds to be withdrawn from USAA before the fund transfers cleared the issuing bank.

U.S. Attorney Strasser reiterated that the bill of information is merely a charge and that the guilt of the defendant must be proven beyond a reasonable doubt.

U.S. Attorney Strasser praised the work of the Army Criminal Investigations Command. The prosecution of this case is being handled by Assistant U. S. Attorney G. Dall Kammer, Supervisor of the General Crimes Unit.

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