Three More Defendants Plead Guilty in $1.7 Million Bank Fraud Scheme
Three individuals have pleaded guilty to their roles in a nationwide bank fraud conspiracy that allegedly netted more than $1.7 million through identity theft and fraudulent banking transactions.
Davon Hunter, 27, and Christian Quivers, 20, both of Richmond, Virginia, along with Crystal Kurschner, 44, of Brooklyn, entered guilty pleas in federal court, according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of New York. The case is part of an ongoing investigation led by the FBI’s Albany Field Office.
Prosecutors say the scheme involved stealing personal identifying information (PII) from victims and using lower-level participants, referred to as “workers,” to impersonate those individuals in fraudulent bank transactions.
As part of his plea agreement, Quivers admitted he was a supervisor in the conspiracy, passing down instructions from higher-level organizers, including Hunter, to those executing the fraud. Kurschner, who pleaded guilty earlier this week, admitted to working as a “worker” in the scheme, impersonating identity-theft victims and delivering the proceeds to her superiors. Hunter, who pleaded guilty earlier this month, acknowledged his role as a manager, orchestrating fraudulent transactions at the direction of other high-level organizers.
Both Hunter and Quivers pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit bank fraud and aggravated identity theft, while Kurschner pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit bank fraud.
Authorities say the case stems from a May 2022 arrest in Cohoes, New York, when three individuals were caught attempting to commit bank fraud. That incident led to a broader investigation, uncovering what prosecutors describe as an extensive network of fraud across multiple states.
To date, 11 defendants have pleaded guilty in connection with the case, forfeiting hundreds of thousands of dollars in illicit proceeds, luxury apparel, and jewelry.
Several other individuals still face charges, including Oluwaseun Adekoya, 39, a Nigerian citizen living in Cliffside Park, New Jersey; Kani Bassie, 36, of Brooklyn; and Jermon Brooks, 20, of Richmond, Virginia. They have been charged with conspiracy to commit bank fraud, and some also face charges of money laundering conspiracy and aggravated identity theft. These defendants are presumed innocent unless proven guilty in court.
Hunter, Quivers, and Kurschner each face a maximum of 30 years in prison for their bank fraud conspiracy convictions. Hunter and Quivers also face a mandatory additional two-year sentence for aggravated identity theft. All three defendants will be required to pay restitution and could receive up to five years of supervised release.
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Benjamin S. Clark and Joshua R. Rosenthal, with support from multiple FBI field offices and law enforcement agencies across the country.