VIRGINIA BEACH, Va. – A local man pleaded guilty yesterday to an identity theft scheme that used identifications of Navy FCU members to obtain as much as $500,000 in loans.
Christopher Moore, 29, and at least one co-conspirator obtained identity and account information from the credit union during 2009 and 2010, then impersonated the identity theft victims and applied by telephone and online for loans in the victims' names.
The conspirators falsely represented to the credit union that the identity theft victims would be using the loan proceeds to buy a used car or motorcycle, according to court records. After Navy Fed approved the loans and sent out checks, Moore and others intercepted the checks, forged the identity theft victims’ signatures to the checks, and recruited third parties to help cash the checks at the credit union.
As part of Moore’s plea agreement, he will forfeit $165,100, his 2002 BMW 745i, $3,800 in cash recovered during the investigation, two semi-automatic handguns, and assorted other assets seized during a search of Moore’s home.
Moore pleaded guilty to charges of aggravated identity theft and conspiring to defraud Navy FCU. He is scheduled to be sentenced in May.
