Home Newark Press Releases 2011 Passaic, New Jersey Man Sentenced to 33 Months in Prison in Check Theft and Counterfeit Check-Cashing Scheme...
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Passaic, New Jersey Man Sentenced to 33 Months in Prison in Check Theft and Counterfeit Check-Cashing Scheme

U.S. Attorney’s Office January 06, 2011
  • District of New Jersey (973) 645-2888

NEWARK, NJ—A Passaic, N.J., man was sentenced today to 33 months in prison for his supervisory role in a conspiracy to obtain and cash stolen or counterfeit checks, U.S. Attorney Paul J. Fishman announced.

Robinson Bordamonte, 45, pled guilty on January 15, 2010, to two counts of an Indictment charging conspiracy to transport stolen checks interstate and conspiracy to receive counterfeit checks. He entered his guilty plea before U.S. District Judge Stanley R. Chesler, who also imposed the sentence today in Newark federal court.

According to documents filed in this case and statements made in court:

Bordamonte, Leo Genese III, and others conspired to obtain millions of dollars in stolen checks from various sources outside New Jersey. As part of the conspiracy, Bordamonte delivered checks to Genese and/or a government cooperating witness at locations in New Jersey—including Chili’s Restaurant in East Rutherford and the Meadowlands Diner in Carlstadt.

Bordamonte delivered the checks with the intent that his co-conspirators cash the checks or deposit them at banks or check cashing stores in New Jersey, and divide the proceeds. Eleven stolen checks totaling more than $750,000 were provided to the cooperating witness during the course of the investigation, who turned them over to the FBI. The FBI intercepted checks from businesses all over the country, including in New York, Missouri, and Georgia. In conversations recorded by the cooperating witness, Bordamonte discussed obtaining additional checks for large amounts of money, including one for $2 million.

Bordamonte and his co-conspirators also conspired to deposit and cash falsely made and counterfeit checks, which were drawn on bank accounts of businesses located outside of New Jersey. Five checks totaling approximately $93,777 were provided to Genese and/or the cooperating witness. Several of these checks, made payable to members of the conspiracy, were written on bank accounts belonging to law firms in New York.

In addition to the prison term, Judge Chesler sentenced Bordamonte to three years of supervised release and a fine of $5,000, or $2,500 per count. The prison and supervised release terms were imposed per count, to run concurrently.

Bordamonte is the fifth defendant to be sentenced in connection with the investigation and prosecution. Genese, who recruited individuals to cash stolen and counterfeit checks, was sentenced on September 1, 2010, to 21 months in prison and three years of supervised release.

Peter Ventricelli and Debora Medeiros DaSilva were sentenced the same day to three years of probation, including six and four months of home confinement, respectively, for their roles in attempting to cash or deposit several counterfeit checks. Kelvin Corbin was sentenced on January 5, 2011, to five years of probation, including one year of home confinement, for his role in obtaining a stolen check and passing it along to Don Sandy and other members of the conspiracy to cash or deposit. Sandy is scheduled to be sentenced on January 10, 2011.

U.S. Attorney Fishman credited special agents of the FBI, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Michael B. Ward in Newark, with the investigation leading to today’s sentence.

The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Leslie F. Schwartz of the U.S. Attorney’s Office’s Organized Crime/Gangs Unit in Newark.

11-005 ###

Defense counsel: Raymond F. Flood, Esq., Hackensack, N.J.

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