Georgia Man Sentenced To 26 Months In Prison For Role In Identity Theft And Wire Fraud Conspiracy

NEWARK N.J. – A Georgia man was sentenced today to 26 months in prison for using a fake driver’s license in order to obtain a check issued in response to false statements and representations, U.S. Attorney Craig Carpenito announced.

Temilade Adekunle, 32, of Lawrenceville, Georgia, previously pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Kevin McNulty to an information charging him with one count of aggravated identity theft and one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud. Judge McNulty imposed the sentence today in Newark federal court.

According to documents filed in this case and statements made in court:

Adekunle was a member of a conspiracy to fraudulently obtain money, including by committing identity theft, impersonating account holders and obtaining money from their accounts. On Aug. 8, 2017, a member of the conspiracy contacted an entity where an individual (Victim 2) had an account. The caller impersonated Victim 2 and asked to withdraw approximately $85,000 from the account. In response, the entity sent a check through a mail carrier to the account holder’s address.

A member of the conspiracy caused the mail carrier to hold the package containing the check for Victim 2 at one of its branch locations. On Aug. 14, 2017, Adekunle entered the branch and, using a driver’s license with Adekunle’s picture and Victim 2’s name and address, obtained the package containing the check. Sentencing is scheduled for May 30, 2018.

In addition to the prison term, Judge McNulty sentenced Adekunle to three years of supervised release, including 10 months of home confinement.

U.S. Attorney Carpenito credited special agents of the FBI, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Gregory W. Ehrie in Newark, and the U.S. Department of Labor, Office of Inspector General, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Michael C. Mikulka in New York, with the investigation leading to today’s sentencing. He also thanked the Unified Police Department of Greater Salt Lake, Utah, under the direction of Sheriff Rosie Rivera, for its role in the investigation.

The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Andrew Kogan of the U.S. Attorney’s Office Economic Crimes Unit in Newark.

Defense counsel: Jean Barrett Esq., Montclair, New Jersey