Bronx man pleads guilty to bank fraud conspiracy and ID theft

Date: March 4, 2026

Contact: [email protected]

Buffalo, NY - U.S. Attorney Michael DiGiacomo announced today that Michael Herrera of the Bronx, NY, pleaded guilty before U.S. Magistrate Judge H. Kenneth Schroeder Jr. to conspiracy to commit bank fraud and aggravated identity theft, which carry a maximum penalty of 30 years in prison and a $1,000,000 fine.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Paul E. Bonanno, who is handling the case, stated that in January 2025, in Bridgeport, Connecticut, co-conspirator Vance Ashley was recruited by members of the conspiracy to pose as other persons and make unauthorized withdrawals from the other persons' bank accounts. Ashley agreed to do this in exchange for money. Between Jan. 28 and Feb. 3, 2025, Ashley drove with Herrera, and two other co-conspirators, to bank branches in Wilmington, Delaware, Liberty, NY, and Lock Haven, PA, where Ashely used the identifications of other individuals to make, or attempt to make, unauthorized withdrawals from the victims' bank accounts.

On Feb. 5, 2025, the defendants drove to a Northwest Bank branch in Lockport, within the Western District of New York. Ashley made an unauthorized withdrawal from the account of an individual residing in Erie, PA. Ashley also purchased a bank check using funds from the account. That same day, the defendants drove to another Northwest Bank branch in Williamsville, within the Western District of New York, and again Ashley made an unauthorized withdrawal from an account and purchased a bank check using funds from the account of a victim from Northeast PA. Also on Feb. 5, 2025, Hererra illegally used the identification of another person during the commission of a felony.

The total loss amount, including actual loss and intended loss, is $91,300.00.

Ashley was previously convicted and is awaiting sentencing.

The plea is the result of an investigation by the Internal Revenue Service, Criminal Investigation Division, under the direction of Special Agent-in-Charge Harry Chavis and Homeland Security Investigations, under the direction of Special Agent-in-Charge Erin Keegan.

Sentencing will be scheduled at a later date.

IRS-CI is the law enforcement arm of the IRS, responsible for conducting financial crime investigations, including tax fraud, narcotics trafficking, money laundering, public corruption, healthcare fraud, identity theft and more. It is the only federal law enforcement agency with investigative jurisdiction over violations of the Internal Revenue Code. IRS-CI has 18 field offices located across the U.S. and maintains an international presence through attaché posts abroad.