Two More Defendants Plead Guilty in Conspiracy Targeting Credit Unions

ALBANY, NEW YORK – Lesley Lucchese, age 54, and Danielle Cappetti, age 45, both of New York City, have pled guilty in connection with their roles in a bank fraud conspiracy that targeted credit unions all over the country since at least December 2021. United States Attorney Carla B. Freedman and Craig L. Tremaroli, Special Agent in Charge of the Albany Field Office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), made the announcement.

As part of their pleas, Lucchese and Cappetti each admitted that between at least December 2021 and April 2023, they fraudulently withdrew funds from credit unions while acting as runners for a nationwide bank fraud conspiracy that targeted credit unions insured by the National Credit Union Share Insurance Fund.  Many of the credit unions were members of a shared branching network, which allowed customers of member credit unions to withdraw funds from their accounts at other member credit unions by presenting an identification with their photograph, their account number, and the last four digits of their Social Security number.  The network allowed customers of localized credit unions easier access to their accounts when traveling throughout the country.  The conspirators exploited this network by creating fake identifications in the names of real credit union customers, but with photographs of other individuals, including Lucchese and Cappetti, who conducted fraudulent transactions at shared branch member credit unions all over the country in exchange for drugs or a small portion of the stolen funds.  In total, Lucchese and Cappetti fraudulently obtained nearly $500,000 from credit unions, the vast majority of which went to supervisors in the conspiracy. 

Lucchese pled guilty today to conspiracy to commit bank fraud and Cappetti pled guilty to the same offense on August 5, 2024.  Cappetti, who is from the Bronx, is scheduled to be sentenced on December 5, 2024. Lucchese, of Manhattan, is scheduled to be sentenced on December 17, 2024.  

Both defendants face up to 30 years in prison, a term of supervised release of up to 5 years, and a fine of up to $1 million.  Both defendants will be ordered to pay restitution to victims of their offenses, and Lucchese agreed to forfeit $9,512.67 in U.S. currency seized by the Escambia County and Okaloosa County Sheriff’s Offices in Florida in October 2022 when Lucchese was arrested with co-defendants David Daniyan and Akeem Balogun after traveling there to conduct fraudulent withdrawals. 

The pleas of Lucchese and Cappetti resolve the charges against them in a federal indictment returned last December, allegedly involves more than $1 million in total losses. Five defendants have now pled guilty in connection with the indictment.

The following defendants are also charged in the indictment:

• Oluwaseun Adekoya, age 38, of New Jersey, is charged with one count of conspiracy to commit bank fraud and two counts of aggravated identity theft;

• David Daniyan, age 59, of Brooklyn, New York, is charged with one count of conspiracy to commit bank fraud and two counts of aggravated identity theft;

• Akeem Balogun, age 53, of Brooklyn, is charged with conspiracy to commit bank fraud;

• Gaysha Kennedy, age 45, of Brooklyn, previously pled guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit bank fraud;

• Victor Barriera, age 63, of the Bronx, previously pled guilty to conspiracy to commit bank fraud; and

• Jerjuan Joyner, age 49, of Brooklyn, previously pled guilty to conspiracy to commit bank fraud.

As to the defendants who have not pled guilty, the charges in the indictment are merely accusations. These defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.

FBI Albany is investigating the case, with assistance from the FBI Field Offices in New York and Newark, and Resident Agencies in Westchester, New York; Garrett Mountain, New Jersey; and Fort Walton Beach, Florida.  Additional assistance was provided by other law enforcement agencies, including Immigration and Customs Enforcement – Enforcement & Removal Operations (New York Field Office & Albany sub-office); U.S. Department of State Diplomatic Security Service (Buffalo Field Office & St. Albans Resident Office); U.S. Social Security Administration – Office of the Inspector General, the New York State Police; Cohoes Police Department; Colonie Police Department; Elmira Police Department; Corning Police Department; Plattsburgh Police Department; Florida law enforcement agencies including the Okaloosa County Sheriff’s Office and Escambia County Sheriff’s Office; law enforcement agencies in New Hampshire, including the Rochester Police Department, Manchester Police Department, Amherst Police Department; the Norwich, CT Police Department; law enforcement agencies in Massachusetts, including the Springfield, MA Police Department; the Pennsylvania State Police; the Delaware State Police; and law enforcement agencies in Maryland, including the Harford County Sheriff’s Office and Baltimore County Sheriff’s Office.

Assistant United States Attorney Benjamin S. Clark is prosecuting this case.