NEWPORT NEWS, Va. (WAVY) – A Colorado man faces multiple charges of fraud and identity theft after allegedly participating in a loan fraud scheme.
On Friday, June 19, a federal grand jury returned an indictment charging 44-year-old Anthony Britton of Lakewood with using stolen identifications to obtain fraudulent personal and vehicle loans through the Newport News headquartered Langley Federal Credit Union (LFCU.)
In 2015 and 2016, LFCU approved numerous online memberships and loan applications opened under false pretenses. The credit union distributed the loan funds to consumers who were later determined to have had their identities stolen. At the time of fund distribution, LFCU was not aware that the identities were stolen.
The vehicle loans were disbursed by checks made out to individuals “posing” as vehicle sellers. The personal loans were disbursed into LFCU checking and savings accounts that were opened fraudulently and from there, the funds were transferred into other accounts — one of which was Britton’s, according to the statement released.
Aside from the alleged schemes, no further information is available on Britton’s connection to Langley Federal Credit Union.
“Britton is charged in a 10 count indictment with conspiracy to commit bank fraud and charges of bank fraud and aggravated identity theft. If convicted, he faces a maximum penalty of 30 years on the bank fraud charges and a mandatory consecutive term of two years on the aggravated identity theft charges,” the statement continued.
G. Zachary Terwilliger, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia, and Peter R. Rendina, Inspector in Charge of the Washington Division of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, made the announcement. Assistant U.S. Attorney Brian Samuels is prosecuting the case.
The full release can be found online at the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia.