Two Southern California Men Sentenced To Prison For Fraud And Aggravated Identity Theft

SAN FRANCISCO – Ngoc Duong a/k/a Danny Duong and Hong Lee Wong a/k/a William Wong were sentenced on Friday, May 30, 2014, to 30 and 28 months in prison, respectively, for wire fraud and aggravated identity theft, announced United States Attorney Melinda Haag and FBI Special Agent in Charge David J. Johnson.

Duong and Wong were convicted on Feb. 11, 2014, after an 11 day jury trial. The jury found that Duong, a partner in Incom Trading Corporation, Inc., and Wong, a principal in Powell Trading, Inc. and Powell Commodity, Inc., defrauded three companies: Cheery Way, Inc., of Brisbane, Calif. and two Chinese companies, Zheijang Metals and Materials and Zheijang Concentrating. Duong and Wong falsely claimed to have an agreement with the City of New Orleans for the rights to scrap metal from a Six Flags amusement park damaged by Hurricane Katrina. The jury found that as part of the fraud Duong and Wong sent emails to the defrauded companies in which they falsely represented that the project was delayed and attached false documents to those emails in which they fraudulently used the names and email addresses of City of New Orleans officials. Duong was convicted of eight counts of wire fraud and four counts of aggravated identity theft. Wong was convicted of one count of wire fraud and one count of aggravated identity theft.

Duong, 61, of Fountain Valley, Calif., and Wong, 46, of Torrance, Calif., were indicted by a federal grand jury on July 19, 2012, for conspiracy to commit wire fraud, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 1349, wire fraud, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 1343, and aggravated identity theft, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 1028A. Duong was arrested on July 26, 2012, at the Houston International Airport. Wong was arrested on July 27, 2012, at his Torrance residence. Both initially appeared in federal court in San Francisco on Aug. 6, 2012, and were released on bail.

The sentences were handed down by the Honorable Susan Illston, United States District Court Judge. Judge Illston also sentenced the defendants to a 3-year period of supervised release and ordered them jointly forfeiture $106,500. A hearing to determine restitution has been set for July 18, 2014. Both defendants remain out of custody and will begin serving their prison sentences on Aug. 8, 2014.

Denise Marie Barton is the Assistant U.S. Attorney who is prosecuting the case with the assistance of AUSA David Countryman, Muffy Mallory, and Bridget Kilkenny. The prosecution is the result of an investigation by the FBI.

(Duong and Wong indictment )