Couple Sentenced on Fraud and Identity Theft Charges

United States Attorney Charles M. Oberly, III, announced that Diwann Mathis, age 32, of Elkton, Maryland, was sentenced on August 2, 2012 to 75 months imprisonment after being convicted of conspiracy and other fraud related charges conducted over a multi-year period. On September 12, 2012, Marketa Wright, age 25, of Elkton, Maryland, and Wilmington, was sentenced to 54 months in connection with the same charges.

Defendants pled guilty to the following indicted charges: Conspiracy to Commit Bank Fraud, Bank Fraud, Social Security Fraud, and Aggravated Identity Theft.

Mr. Mathis and Ms. Wright played a major role in planning and organizing a bank fraud scheme in which they, along with indicted and unindicted conspirators misappropriated personal identifying information from various individuals and used that information to open bank accounts under false pretenses. In connection with these charges, defendants caused approximately $72,000 in loss to financial institutions as well as other damage to the victims of the identity theft.

Additionally, Mr. Mathis and Ms. Wright pled guilty to a Felony Information charging Conspiracy to Defraud the Government with Respect to Claims, Identity Theft, and Misuse of a Social Security Number. In this scheme, defendants misappropriated Social Security Numbers of at least fifty-two (52) individuals and used this information to file false federal and state tax returns using their victims’ personal identification information. In connection with these charges, defendants fraudulently obtained approximately $175,000 from federal and state agencies, in addition to the harm caused to the identity theft victims.

United States Attorney Oberly said, “This office continues to be committed to prosecuting crimes that compromise the integrity of individuals’ personal identification information as well as those that target financial institutions and government agencies. The sentences handed down by the Court should serve as a reminder of the serious nature of financial crimes and the consequences that those who perpetrate such crimes will suffer.”

This case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Mark M. Lee and Lesley F. Wolf and was investigated by the United States Postal Inspection Service, Social Security Administration Office of Inspector General, and Internal Revenue Service-Criminal Investigations.