Michael K. Vordjorbe, a 30-year-old resident of Henrico, Virginia, pled guilty on Mar. 13 to charges of aggravated identity theft and transactional money laundering, according to U.S. Attorney Matthew L. Harvey.
The case is significant because it involves the unauthorized withdrawal of funds from multiple bank accounts by assuming the identities of account holders without their knowledge or permission. The fraudulent activity affected banks in several locations, including some in the Northern District of West Virginia.
Court documents and statements revealed that Vordjorbe worked with others to obtain $137,000 through these illegal withdrawals. The total relevant conduct amount for the fraud was estimated between $550,000 and $1.5 million. After obtaining the funds, Vordjorbe and his associates deposited the money into other accounts to conceal its origin.
Vordjorbe faces up to two years in prison for identity theft and up to ten years for money laundering. Sentencing will be determined by a federal district court judge after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Eleanor Hurney is prosecuting the case for the government. The investigation involved several agencies: the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Internal Revenue Service Criminal Investigations, U.S. Postal Service in Loudon County, Virginia, and Stamford Police Department in Connecticut. U.S. Magistrate Judge Robert W. Trumble presided over the proceedings.
