Manchester Man Sentenced to Five Months in Prison for Role in Bank Fraud Conspiracy

            CONCORD -  Angel Forteza-Concepcion, 20, of Manchester, has been sentenced to five months in prison and ordered to pay restitution in the amount of $4,055.85 for conspiracy to commit bank fraud, announced United States Attorney Scott W. Murray.

            According to court documents and statements made in court, from November 2017 to February 2018, Forteza-Concepcion and Ariel Mendoza, a citizen of the Dominican Republic, knowingly deposited stolen checks and money orders totaling more than $7,100 into accounts at four federally insured banks.  They then obtained proceeds from the stolen checks and money orders by using debit cards assigned to the accounts to withdraw cash at ATMs and perform debit card transactions.

            Forteza-Concepcion pleaded guilty on December 19, 2018.  Mendoza is serving an 18-month prison sentence and faces likely deportation to the Dominican Republic after he completes his sentence. 

            “The defendants in this scheme obtained money from multiple banks by depositing stolen checks and money orders,” said U.S. Attorney Murray.  “This type of conduct cannot be tolerated.  In order to ensure the integrity of our banking system and protect Granite Staters’ finances, we will aggressively prosecute those who participate in fraud schemes.”

            “The U.S. Postal Inspection Service works alongside our local law enforcement partners to conduct investigations of those individuals who compromise the personal information of our customers and who fraudulently use the U.S. Mail for financial gains,” said Inspector in Charge Joseph W. Cronin of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service’s Boston Division.  “The integrity of the U.S. Mail is vital to our business and we will continue to work hard to protect it.”

            The United States Postal Inspection Service investigated the case, with assistance from the Police Departments in Manchester and Salem, New Hampshire, and Lawrence, Massachusetts.  The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Robert M. Kinsella.

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