LOS ANGELES (CNS) – A South Los Angeles man was sentenced Monday to seven years and three months in federal prison for his involvement in a conspiracy that robbed banks and credit unions of more than $2.7 million by depositing mail-in checks into the accounts of accomplices recruited through Instagram.
Carlos Corona, 36, was also ordered by U.S. District Judge John Walter to pay $2.72 million in restitution, according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office.
Corona pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit bank fraud and aggravated identity theft in downtown Los Angeles in May.
From October 2020 to August last year, Corona and his colleagues participated in the scheme to steal checks from the mail, including some that came from mailboxes outside post offices. The thieves then contacted account holders via social media, asking them to provide their debit cards and bank account information, and promising them a share of any stolen funds deposited into their accounts.
Members of the scheme exchanged bank account holders’ information and then deposited the stolen checks into the bank accounts. In most cases, the stolen checks were falsely made out to the original payee’s name, prosecutors said. But in some cases, the checks were altered so that the payee’s name matched the bank account into which the checks were deposited.
The defendants would then make cash withdrawals, electronic transfers, or purchases using the debit card to withdraw the money from the accounts.
During the conspiracy, Corona and co-defendant Jose Luis Edeza Jr., 31, of Sunland, attempted to steal at least $5.3 million from the affected banks and credit unions, ultimately resulting in actual damages of at least $2.7 million, according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office.
Edeza also pleaded guilty to federal charges in federal court in Los Angeles. He was sentenced to four years and nine months in prison in July.
