A man from Los Angeles has been sentenced to four years and nine months in federal prison for his involvement in a scheme that defrauded banks and credit unions of at least $2.7 million. Jose Luis Edeza Jr., 31, of Sunland, pleaded guilty in downtown Los Angeles to conspiracy to commit bank fraud and aggravated identity theft. The scheme, which took place from October 2020 to August 2021, involved stealing checks from the mail and depositing them into bank accounts of accomplices recruited through Instagram.
Edeza and his co-conspirators would steal checks, contact individuals on social media, and convince them to provide their debit card and bank account information in exchange for a share of the stolen funds. The stolen checks were deposited into the accounts, with some being falsely endorsed in the original payee’s name. The defendants would then make cash withdrawals, electronic transfers, or debit card purchases to access the funds.
During the scheme, Edeza and another defendant attempted to steal $5.3 million but caused actual losses of $2.7 million. The other defendant, Carlos Corona, also pleaded guilty and is awaiting sentencing in August.
