ATM Fraud Duo Sentenced To 48 Months In Prison For Conspiracy, Bank Fraud, And Aggravated Identity Theft
TALLAHASSEE, FLORIDA – Isaleb Anofils, 32, of Vero Beach, Florida, and Donyell Garland, 32, of Tallahassee, Florida, were each sentenced on Friday and last month, respectively, to 48 months in federal prison after pleading guilty to conspiracy to commit bank fraud, multiple counts of bank fraud, and aggravated identity theft. The sentences, following the defendants’ guilty pleas last October, were announced by Jason R. Coody, Acting United States Attorney for the Northern District of Florida.
“As our citizens become more reliant on web-based banking, it is paramount that our financial institutions are not defrauded and their customers’ personal identifiable information is secure,” stated Acting U.S. Attorney Coody. “The volume of fraudulent ATM transactions and the sophistication employed here demonstrate the significant threat posed by this type of activity. Given the cooperative efforts of our local, state, and federal law enforcement partners, these criminals were arrested within weeks of the commencement of their crime spree, thereby safeguarding the personal identifying information and assets of countless other victims.”
Court documents reflect, that between January 1, 2018, and April 9, 2018, Anofils and Garland conspired to defraud multiple federally insured financial institutions. The defendants used a combination of a cell phone spoofing app and various Internet websites to obtain personally identifiable information of victims. Anofils and Garland then used that information to conduct 285 fraudulent ATM transactions at Tallahassee-area financial institutions. In total, Anofils and Garland stole or attempted to steal over $151,000 from 47 different banking customers.
“The collaborative and efficient effort between our agencies has again resulted in the arrest and conviction of those preying on innocent and hardworking citizens,” said Leon County Sheriff Walt McNeil.
“This successful investigation and resulting prosecution stand as a testament to the high level of competence and excellence in law enforcement displayed by the men and women who serve at all levels of federal, state and local law enforcement in the North Florida district,” said Resident Agent in Charge Seth Reister, Tallahassee Resident U.S. Secret Service. “As criminals and their enterprises have evolved both in sophistication and technical proficiency, the district’s investigative agencies have met the challenge through agility and dedication to continued innovations in both deterrent and proactive technological solutions to cyber and other emerging technology crime trends.”
Both defendants’ 48-month prison sentences will be followed by 5 years supervised release. Both defendants were also ordered to pay restitution to the victims.
This case resulted from a joint investigation by the Leon County Sheriff’s Office, the Florida Department of Law Enforcement, and the United States Secret Service. Assistant United States Attorney Justin M. Keen prosecuted the case.
The United States Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Florida is one of 94 offices that serve as the nation’s principal litigators under the direction of the Attorney General. To access public court documents online, please visit the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Florida website. For more information about the United States Attorney’s Office, Northern District of Florida, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/fln/index.html.
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