Former Buffalo Man Pleads Guilty To Lying On A Loan Application

CONTACT: Barbara Burns
PHONE: (716) 843-5817
FAX #: (716) 551-3051

BUFFALO, N.Y. - U.S. Attorney Trini E. Ross announced today that Hassan Moussa Fares, 30, formerly of Buffalo, NY, pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Lawrence J. Vilardo to making a false statement to a financial institution, which carries a maximum penalty of 30 years in prison and a fine of $1,000,000.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Charles M. Kruly, who is handling the case, stated that in June 2019, Fares submitted an online application to Discover Bank for a personal loan. On the application, Fares falsely represented that he was employed full time at Company 1, that he had been employed at Company 1 for 18 months, and that his gross annual income was $60,000. As a result, Discover Bank approved the application and funded a $20,000 loan. Fares admits that he only worked at Company 1 for approximately eight weeks in 2018, earning approximately $6,540 in income in 2018. In 2019, Fares earned, at most, approximately $4,600 in income. In addition, Fares submitted a credit card application to Discover Bank, falsely stating that his annual income was $80,000. Fares also submitted a line of credit application to M&T Bank, falsely stating that he had been employed at Company 1 for 14 months and that his income was $70,000.

The plea is the result of an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, under the direction of Special Agent-in-Charge Stephen Belongia.

Sentencing is scheduled for January 9, 2023, before Judge Vilardo.

# # # #