
A Washington, D.C. resident pleaded guilty to fraud, identity theft and cybercrime totaling more than 600,000$
Marco Rakuan Censti, 28, pleaded guilty to a number of fraudulent schemes, including COVID fraud, SMS phishing, document forgery and bank fraud. His actions resulted in more than 600,000$ in damages, with authorities estimating total damages at 850,000$
Chansty organized SMS phishing schemes to steal bank details, create fake IDs and use the stolen details to commit loan fraud in public-private partnerships. In particular, they used fake tax forms to obtain loans for themselves, family members and acquaintances. He also used a Western Union scheme to embezzle more than $79,000, and a raid in September 2023 led to the seizure of 24 cellphones, laptops, fake social security cards, credit cards and special equipment used to make them.
Chenstad faces up to 20 years in prison for cybercrime and two years in prison for identity theft. Background COVID-related benefit fraud is a widespread problem in the US during the pandemic. Schemes like Sensta have caused significant damage to small businesses and government programs. Abuse of social benefits and the use of modern technologies, such as SMS phishing, require stricter controls and security measures.