New York man attempts to steal more than $1.1 million from PenFed
The Virginia-based credit union helps authorities bust the fraudulent scheme involving "money mules."
New York and federal authorities allege a Brooklyn man attempted to steal more than $1.1 million from the $24 billion Pentagon Federal Credit Union in McLean, Va., by using the stolen identities of more than 170 individuals to apply for loans and credit cards.
PenFed helped authorities nab Joseph Batrony Jr., 28, of Crown Heights, Brooklyn, who allegedly used the stolen identities of persons from past data breaches, Brooklyn District Attorney Eric Gonzalez, announced March 20.
From September 2017 to May 2018, Batrony allegedly stole more than $320,000 from PenFed and attempted to siphon more than $870,000, according to investigators. He allegedly used stolen personal information of more than 178 individuals, primarily from the Western states, to open PenFed membership accounts and apply for loans and credit cards in their names before transferring the money to his own accounts or accounts of people related to or associated with Batrony.
Just one month after Batrony allegedly began his fraudulent scheme, PenFed began blocking his attempted money transfers, including several online applications he filled out in his own name in the name of an alias, “Aaron Green.”
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