Buffalo Woman Pleads Guilty To Access Device Fraud

CONTACT:      Barbara Burns
PHONE:         (716) 843-5817
FAX:            (716) 551-3051
 
BUFFALO, N.Y.-U.S. Attorney William J. Hochul Jr. announced today that Jennifer Konidis, 47, of Buffalo, N.Y., pleaded guilty to access device fraud on August 13, 2015 before U.S. District Judge Elizabeth Wolford.  The charge carries a maximum penalty of 10 years imprisonment and a $250,000 fine.

 Assistant U.S. Attorney MaryEllen Kresse, who is handling the case, stated that the defendant, who had over 15 years of experience in the banking industry, authorized a man she met online to send credit cards to her home even though she knew that the credit cards had been obtained by fraud and without the true account holder’s knowledge or authority.  Between July 17, 2013 and October 28, 2013, the defendant allowed thirty-one unauthorized access devices to be sent to her home and used nine of them to obtain or attempt to obtain things of value in excess of $20,000.
The plea is the result of an investigation by the United States Postal Inspection Service, Boston Division, under the direction of Inspector in Charge Shelly A. Binkowski.
Sentencing is scheduled for November 12, 2015 at 10:00 a.m. before Judge Wolford.