A federal grand jury indicted Jacqueline Elaine Belim, age 46, of Capitol  Heights, Maryland for bank fraud, aggravated identity fraud, credit card fraud and obstruction, arising out of a scheme to defraud banks and obtain monies from bank account holders. In a related case, Carol Silva, age 54, of Boston, Massachusetts, was charged by criminal complaint yesterday with bank fraud.

From at least September 2005 to September 2006, bank account holders reported the theft of a wallet or purse through pickpocketing and/or purse-snatching, which occurred in supermarkets, stores, restaurants, on the streets, and from vehicles. The thefts occurred in Maryland, District of Columbia, Virginia and Massachusetts.

On March 21, of this year, bank surveillance photos from two bank branches show Silva wearing a long, dark colored wig and hat, and cashing checks from one victim’s account while posing as another victim bank customer.

According to the seven-count indictment against Belim, from June to October 2006, victims were pickpocketed and credit cards, checks, account numbers, driver’s licenses and social security cards were stolen.  Belim allegedly used the stolen personal information to take money from the victims’ bank accounts by impersonating herself as the victim, sometimes using wigs, glasses and other accessories to more closely resemble the victim. On at least one occasion, Belim displayed a victim’s altered driver’s license and provided other personal information to bank personnel at banks on the same day or successive days. She is alleged to have withdrawn $16,500 from victims’ bank accounts and to have possessed over 15 counterfeit and unauthorized access devices.

Investigation of the bank fraud scheme implicating Silva and Belim thus far has revealed  that over 30 victims and their respective banks were the subject of thefts under this scheme which resulted in the loss of over $300,000.

Belim and Silva face a maximum sentence of 30 years in prison followed by five years of supervised release for bank fraud.  In addition, Belim faces a mandatory minimum sentence of two years in prison, consecutive to any other sentence received, followed by one year of supervised release for aggravated identity theft.