Suffolk County woman pleads guilty in bank fraud, identity theft scheme

A Medford woman admitted helping turn internet-stolen personal data into counterfeit military and passport cards that were then used to drain money from a bank account in Western New York. Prosecutors said the case touched a Lake Shore Bank branch in Fredonia and a home equity line tied to a victim in Jamestown.

Jennifer Poliandro, 35, pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Richard J. Arcara to conspiracy to commit bank fraud and aggravated identity theft. The charges carry a maximum penalty of 30 years in prison and a $1,000,000 fine, underscoring how federal prosecutors treat identity theft that is paired with bank fraud as a serious financial crime.

According to prosecutors, the scheme ran from Feb. 18 through Feb. 26, 2026. During that period, Poliandro conspired with others to obtain personally identifiable information for multiple victims from the internet and use it to create counterfeit military identification cards and United States passport cards. Those fake credentials were then used to obtain, and try to obtain, money from banks in the Western District of New York.

One of the clearest examples came on Feb. 18, 2026, when Poliandro went to a Lake Shore Bank branch in Fredonia and used a counterfeit military identification card in the name of a person living in Jamestown to get $7,800 from a home equity line of credit account. Prosecutors said the total loss amount, including actual and intended loss, was between $15,000 and $40,000.

The plea puts a spotlight on a fraud method that starts with stolen digital information and ends with forged identity documents that can look legitimate enough to fool a bank teller or lender. For Suffolk County residents, the case is a reminder that information posted or exposed online can be repackaged into fake government-style IDs and used against real accounts, including lines of credit that homeowners may not immediately monitor.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Franz M. Wright is prosecuting the case. The guilty plea followed investigations by Homeland Security Investigations and the U.S. Department of State’s Diplomatic Security Service. Sentencing is scheduled for Oct. 13, 2026, before Judge Arcara, where the court will weigh punishment, loss amounts and any restitution issues that could still affect victims.