Source: United States Department of Justice News
NEWARK, N.J. – A Hudson County, New Jersey, man was arrested this morning for unlawfully using victims’ personal identification information to steal over $1 million, U.S. Attorney Philip R. Sellinger announced.
Marc Lazarre, 37, of Secaucus, New Jersey, is charged by complaint with one count of bank fraud and one count of aggravated identity theft. Lazarre is scheduled to appear this afternoon before U.S. Magistrate Judge André M. Espinosa in Newark federal court.
According to documents filed in this case and statements made in court:
From September 2021 through October 2022, Lazarre executed a scheme to enrich himself by using unlawfully obtained bank account and personal identity information to open accounts in victims’ names without their knowledge. He caused the transfer of funds from the victims’ actual financial accounts to the accounts he opened and then withdrew the funds. Lazarre also unlawfully obtained checks made out to victims, used fraudulent identification documents to open accounts in names almost identical to the victims’ names, and then cashed the unlawfully obtained checks. Lazarre caused more than $1 million in actual losses.
The bank fraud count is punishable by a maximum of 30 years in prison. The aggravated identity theft count carries an additional consecutive mandatory minimum term of two years in prison. Both counts have a maximum fine of up to $250,000, or twice the gross gain or loss from the offense, whichever is greatest.
U.S. Attorney Sellinger credited special agents of the FBI, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge James E. Dennehy in Newark; and special agents of the Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Andrew McKay, with the investigation leading to today’s charges.
The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Shawn Barnes of the Economic Crimes Unit and Matthew Belgiovine of the General Crimes Unit.
The charges and allegations contained in the complaint are merely accusations, and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.