A federal jury on Friday has convicted Diape Seck, 29, of Rockville, for his role in a bank fraud scheme in which he and his co-conspirators attempted to obtain almost $2 million by stealing checks from the mail of churches and religious institutions. The guilty verdict was returned late Friday and was announced by Maryland’s U.S. attorney, Erek L. Barron.
Seck conspired with at least eight co-conspirators to commit bank fraud, according to the Justice Department. Seck had been working at one of the financial institutions when he helped open multiple bank accounts for the others, according to a 2021 indictment.
The other conspirators used “foreign identity documents,” some of which were legitimate and others which were fraudulent, to open the accounts.
Court documents state that Seck opened 412 checking accounts between Jan. 2, 2019, and Jan. 3, 2020, which relied mainly on Romanian passports and driver’s license information.
The evidence showed that Seck opened bank accounts with the fake identities in exchange for cash bribes, according to the Justice Department. The co-conspirators deposited checks stolen from the incoming and outgoing mail of churches and other religious institutions, and were also involved in a rental car scheme. The co-conspirators then withdrew the funds and spent the money.
Seck faces a maximum sentence of 30 years in federal prison for each count of conspiracy to commit bank fraud, bank fraud, making false entries in bank records and receipt of a bribe or reward by a bank employee. U.S. District Judge Theodore D. Chuang has scheduled Seck’s sentencing for 2:30 p.m. on June 2.
Eight of Seck’s co-conspirators previously pled guilty to conspiracy to commit bank fraud and wire fraud. Four were sentenced to between 42 months and five years in prison, and over $1 million in restitution each.