David X. Sullivan, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, J. Buck Buckley, Acting Inspector in Charge of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, Boston Division, announced that GIANNA PARENTE, 23, of Naugatuck, waived her right to be indicted and pleaded guilty today before U.S.
District Judge Stefan R. Underhill in Bridgeport to bank fraud.According to court documents and statements made in court, between approximately July 2022 and February 2023, Parente was involved in a scheme in which individuals (“runners”) were recruited to provide their debit cards and banking information so that Parente and others could deposit fraudulent checks into the runners’ accounts at Bank of America. Some of the checks were stolen from the U.S. Mail, with original payee information and dollar amounts “washed” and altered.
After depositing the fraudulent checks into the accounts, Parente and her co-conspirators then withdrew or attempted to withdraw money before the bank realized the checks were fraudulent.Bank fraud carries a maximum term of imprisonment of 30 years.Parente is released on a $25,000 bond pending sentencing, which is not scheduled.This matter is being investigated by the U.S. Postal Inspection Service. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Christopher J.
Lembo.