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Man Who Used Fake Identities On Long Island As Part Of $1M Fraud Scheme Sentenced, DA Says

A 46-year-old man was sentenced for his role in a $1 million nationwide fraud scheme after he admitted to using fake identities to obtain loans on Long Island.

Adam Arena

Adam Arena

Photo Credit: Suffolk County District Attorney's Office

Adam Arena was sentenced to four to 12 years in prison, Suffolk County District Attorney Raymond Tierney announced on Friday, Jan. 20.

The DA's Office said Arena is currently serving a federal prison sentence in connection to the scheme and other unrelated crimes. 

According to the report, Arena pleaded guilty on March 1, 2021, to the following charges:

  • Two counts of second-degree grand larceny
  • One count of third-degree grand larceny
  • One count of second-degree criminal possession of a forged instrument
  • One count of fourth-degree money laundering
  • One count of first-degree scheme to defraud

“This defendant participated in an elaborate, nationwide scheme with other individuals to defraud financial institutions by assisting in the creation of synthetic identities in order to obtain fraudulent loans and credit cards,” Tierney said. “Working in cooperation with our local and federal law enforcement partners, we were able to bring him to justice in both state and federal court, and he will serve a substantial prison sentence for his crimes.”

The investigation into suspected identity fraud at banks and credit unions in the region began in August of 2018, Tierney said. 

Investigators found that more than 20 synthetic identities had been created and used in Suffolk County to fraudulently obtain loans and credit card accounts from 19 financial institutions, the DA's Office said. 

Those who participated in the scheme reportedly used people's personal identification information to create synthetic identities and then would open accounts and establish credit in other identities. 

They would use the identities to steal funds from financial institutions, Tierney said. 

Arena was charged in a 108-count indictment in February 2020 that included 13 people and three corporations, the DA's Office said.

He is required to pay about $523,000 in restitution to the financial institutions that were impacted by the scheme, the report said. 

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