Title: “55-Year-Old Man from Tamuning, Guam Sentenced for Identity Theft and Bank Fraud Amounting to over $100,000”

Press Release

Fhagatña, Northern Mariana Islands – In a press statement, United States Attorney for the Districts of Guam and the Northern Mariana Islands, SHAWN N. ANDERSON, announced the sentencing of EVAN DANIEL MONTVEL-COHEN. Montvel-Cohen, a 55-year-old man from Tamuning, Guam, was sentenced to 82 months in prison by the District Court of Guam for his involvement in identity theft and bank fraud cases.

Identity Theft Scheme

From November 2019 to January 2020, Montvel-Cohen engaged in a scheme to defraud a property management company in Guam. He impersonated another individual to secure a residential lease agreement using:

• An altered Guam driver’s license bearing someone else’s name and date of birth, and
• An email address in the victim’s name, digitally signing the rental agreement.

Montvel-Cohen occupied a residential unit belonging to the property management company and:

• Failed to pay rent and deposit fees,
• Bounced checks, and
• Caused a loss of approximately $20,000.

Bank Fraud Scheme

From July 31, 2018, to August 18, 2018, Montvel-Cohen also orchestrated a scheme to defraud the Bank of Guam. He deposited a $45,010 check from a joint Bank of Hawaii account and placed a stop payment order on it. Montvel-Cohen and others then transferred $39,356 from the Bank of Guam account before the Bank of Hawaii check was returned.

Sentencing and Sanctions

At sentencing, the court determined, by clear and convincing evidence, that Montvel-Cohen had engaged in a long series of such frauds and schemes, leading to actual and intended losses of over $1.5 million.

“Evan Daniel Montvel-Cohen’s fraudulent activities have left numerous victims in their wake across the United States,” stated U.S. Attorney Anderson. “We are relieved that the court has imposed this substantial sanction, which we hope will serve as a deterrent to his future criminal behavior… I am grateful for the tenacious work of the FBI in bringing Montvel-Cohen to justice.”

FBI’s Emphasis

FBI Steven Merrill, Special Agent in Charge, emphasized:

“Identity theft and bank fraud are two sides of the same coin – devastating to those affected, and often leaving victims unaware until it’s too late… We remain unwavering in our commitment to pursuing those responsible.”

Case Information

This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, and Assistant U.S. Attorney Benjamin K. Petersburg prosecuted it in the District of Guam.