VIRGINIA BEACH, Va. – Richard Huff, 53, was convicted Thursday of bank fraud and identity theft offenses by a federal jury.
Court records show Huff agreed to cash auto loan checks that were fraudulently obtained in the names of stolen identities as part of a conspiracy to defraud Navy Federal Credit Union.
Huff’s co-conspirators identified him as the seller of new and used Mercedes and BMWs that he did not own and was not authorized to sell.
When the applications were made, the vehicles offered as collateral for the loans were listed for sale at car dealerships in Hampton and Newport News.
In July 2016, Huff tried to cash two fraudulent loan checks at Navy Federal Credit Union branches in Virginia Beach and Chesapeake.
Huff used his cell phone to record both transactions.
On July 13, 2016, Huff cashed a check for $40,000. He was arrested when he tried to cash a $45,000 check on July 20.
The jury convicted Huff on conspiracy to commit bank fraud, bank fraud and aggravated identity theft. He faces a mandatory minimum penalty of two years in prison to run consecutive to a maximum possible penalty of 30 years in prison. He will be sentenced on October 25.
