Home Renovation Company Owner Admits to Selling Fraudulent Personal Information to Obtain Loans and Lines of Credit

Baltimore, Maryland – Michael Westbrook, age 37, of Parkville, Maryland, pleaded guilty today to conspiring to commit wire fraud and aggravated identity theft arising from a scheme to sell fraudulent social security cards to buyers to obtain more than $550,000 in loans and credit accounts.

The guilty plea was announced by United States Attorney for the District of Maryland Rod J. Rosenstein and Special Agent in Charge Andre R. Watson of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI).

Westbrook owned The Westbrook Project, LLC, a home renovation company. According to his plea, from February 2012 to October 2014, Westbrook conspired with others to receive bank loans, private loans, auto loans and lines of credit using stolen social security numbers, counterfeit social security card and personal identity information (PII) of actual persons to create a false and improved credit score. 

Westbrook proposed to potential buyers that they re-establish a good credit score using misappropriated personal identity information.  Westbrook supplied the buyer’s PII to a co-conspirator who would then associate a misappropriated social security number of an actual person with that buyer.  Westbrook and his co-conspirator also provided buyers with counterfeit social security cards to match the stolen social security numbers.  The buyers then used the PII, stolen social security numbers and counterfeit documents to open personal bank accounts, and to obtain loans and lines of credit from commercial lenders. 

On at least eight occasions between February 2012 and August 2013, Westbrook opened bank accounts, credit card accounts and obtained auto loans using misappropriated social security numbers.  The total loss caused by the conspiracy was more than $550,000 and involved more than 10 victims.

Co-defendant Donneltric Johnson, age 38, of Baltimore, previously pleaded guilty to his participation in the conspiracy and awaits sentencing.

Westbrook faces a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison for the conspiracy and a mandatory minimum of two years in prison consecutive to any other sentence imposed for aggravated identity theft.  U.S. District Judge J. Frederick Motz scheduled his sentencing for April 1, 2016, at 9:15 a.m.

Today’s announcement is part of the efforts undertaken in connection with the President’s Financial Fraud Enforcement Task Force.  The task force was established to wage an aggressive, coordinated and proactive effort to investigate and prosecute financial crimes.  With more than 20 federal agencies, 94 U.S. attorneys’ offices, and state and local partners, it’s the broadest coalition of law enforcement, investigatory and regulatory agencies ever assembled to combat fraud.  Since its formation, the task force has made great strides in facilitating increased investigation and prosecution of financial crimes; enhancing coordination and cooperation among federal, state and local authorities; addressing discrimination in the lending and financial markets; and conducting outreach to the public, victims, financial institutions and other organizations.  Since fiscal year 2009, the Justice Department has filed over 18,000 financial fraud cases against more than 25,000 defendants.  For more information on the task force, please visit www.StopFraud.gov.

United States Attorney Rod J. Rosenstein commended the HSI Baltimore for its work in the investigation and thanked Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Lauren E. Perry, on detail from the Social Security Administration, who is prosecuting the case.