Las Vegas Sun

March 29, 2024

Brothers plead guilty to fraud charges in $5.3 million scheme

Two California men who earned more than $5 million from operating a scheme stealing money and goods from merchants and banks in Nevada by using unauthorized credit cards have pleaded guilty to fraud charges, the Department of Justice announced today.

Adam Amadeo Battani, 35, and his brother, Sam Amadeo Battani, 34, of Long Beach, Calif., each pleaded guilty Wednesday to conspiracy to commit bank fraud, wire fraud, mail fraud, credit/debit card fraud and money laundering.

Officials said the brothers used false identification documents and counterfeit checks they illegally produced along with the unauthorized credit cards to steal money and goods from the merchants and banks in Nevada.

They brought the scheme to Las Vegas from California to evade law enforcement and subsequently opened bank accounts, credit card accounts and post office boxes in the region using various bogus identities, officials said.

They then funded the bank accounts with counterfeit checks from fictitious businesses and banks, and used the fraudulent accounts and unauthorized credit cards to illegally obtain cash, goods and services, officials said.

The defendants also laundered their proceeds from their criminal activities to other banks and credit cards established with fake identities, officials said.

The money eventually landed in accounts they controlled, thereby allowing them to use the funds for their personal benefit, officials said.

According to the defendants' plea agreements, they received more than $1 million from the banks and more than $5.3 million total throughout this scheme, which was ongoing from January 2002 to March 2010.

The defendants will surrender to the government $438,718, as well as computers, printers, memory cards, cameras, cell phones, 50 counterfeit driver's licenses, 24 Social Security cards, 44 unauthorized credit cards and $10,000 seized from nine bank accounts in different names, officials said.

Each defendant could be sentenced to five years in prison and a $250,000 fine. U.S. District Judge Roger L. Hunt will sentence them June 10.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Kimberly M. Frayn is prosecuting the case, which is being investigated by the U.S. Secret Service and FBI.

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