Colorado Man Charged with Loan Fraud Scheme Targeting Tidewater

NEWPORT NEWS, Va. – A federal grand jury returned an indictment today charging a Colorado man with a loan fraud and identity theft scheme.

According to the indictment, Anthony Britton, 44, of Lakewood, participated in a scheme to use stolen identification information to obtain fraudulent personal and vehicle loans through Langley Federal Credit Union (LFCU). In 2015 and 2016, LFCU received numerous online membership and consumer loan applications in the names of stolen identities, and approved and issued the requested memberships and loans prior to determining that they had been sought using the stolen personal identifying information of others. LFCU disbursed loan proceeds via checks and transfers into the checking and savings accounts opened through these fraudulent applications. Vehicle loan proceeds were disbursed by checks made payable to individuals posing as vehicle sellers, while personal loan proceeds were disbursed to LFCU accounts opened in connection with the fraudulent loan applications and transferred to accounts of others, including Britton. The indictment alleges that conspirators then accessed and withdrew the fraudulently obtained loan proceeds and routed them to other accounts to the benefit of Britton.

Britton is charged in a 10 count indictment with conspiracy to commit bank fraud and charges of bank fraud and aggravated identity theft. If convicted, he faces a maximum penalty of 30 years on the bank fraud charges and a mandatory consecutive term of two years on the aggravated identity theft charges. Actual sentences for federal crimes are typically less than the maximum penalties. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after taking into account the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

G. Zachary Terwilliger, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia, and Peter R. Rendina, Inspector in Charge of the Washington Division of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, made the announcement. Assistant U.S. Attorney Brian Samuels is prosecuting the case.

A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia. Related court documents and information are located on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case No. 4:20-cr-28.

An indictment is merely an accusation. The defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty.