Californian convicted of fraudulently passing over $1M in counterfeit savings bonds at South Texas banks
BROWNSVILLE, Texas – A 58-year-old resident of Hemet, California, has pleaded guilty to passing counterfeit U.S. savings bonds over three years, announced U.S. Attorney Alamdar S. Hamdani along with Assistant Attorney General Kenneth A. Polite, Jr. of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division.
Daniel Alan Lewis and others conspired to create counterfeit U.S. Series I savings bonds. They then passed them at financial institutions using other people’s identities and split the proceeds.
As part of his plea, Lewis further admitted that in November and December 2021, he passed numerous counterfeit savings bonds at banks in both the Houston and Brownsville areas.
U.S. District Judge Fernando Rodriguez Jr. accepted the plea and set sentencing for Aug. 10. At that time, Lewis faces up to 20 years in federal prison and a possible $250,000 maximum fine.
He has been and will remain in custody pending that hearing.
Homeland Security Investigations conducted the investigation with the assistance of the Secret Service, Department of the Treasury - Office of Inspector General and the Cameron County Sheriff’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorney Edgardo J. Rodriguez is prosecuting the case along with Trial Attorney David D. Hamstra.