MIAMI, Fla. — A Lake Worth man on bond in a federal case has been charged with bank fraud conspiracy in another case, the US Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Florida (USAO) has announced.
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According to the USAO, while on bond in an aggravated identity theft matter, Manley Vanel Neptune, 33, of Lake Worth, was charged in a second federal case. In the second case, Mr Neptune is accused of participating in a conspiracy to obtain over $2.1 million by depositing a stolen U.S. Treasury check into a fraudulent bank account.
According to allegations in the initial complaint, on Feb. 2, Mr Neptune attempted to open a fraudulent account at a First Horizon Bank in Lighthouse Point by presenting a counterfeit U.S. passport card in the name of “W.H.” (Case No. 24-mj-6052). He was arrested.
On Feb. 15, Mr Neptune was indicted for using a counterfeit passport and aggravated identity theft (Case No. 24-cr-60028). He was released on bond.
Mr Neptune was then charged in a second complaint when further investigation reportedly revealed that on Feb. 1, he successfully opened a fraudulent account at a Truist Bank in Pompano Beach. Neptune is said to have used the same counterfeit U.S. passport card in the name of “W.H.” that he used at First Horizon Bank the following day.
On Feb. 20, while on bond, Mr Neptune reportedly caused two female co-conspirators to deposit a stolen U.S. Treasury check for $2,172,687.18 into the fraudulent account at Truist Bank. The deposited check was issued to “W.G.H.,” the USAO said.
The second criminal complaint (Case No. 24-mj-6093) charges Neptune with participating in the bank fraud conspiracy.
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On March 7, Mr Neptune appeared in federal court in Case No. 24-mj-6093. The parties stipulated pretrial detention with the right to revisit. An arraignment hearing is scheduled for March 21.
If convicted of the bank fraud conspiracy, Neptune faces up to 30 years in federal prison. If convicted of using a fraudulent U.S. passport, he faces up to 10 years in federal prison. If convicted of aggravated identity theft, Mr Neptune faces a mandatory minimum term of two years in federal prison to run consecutive to any other sentence imposed.
A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other mitigating, aggravating, and statutory factors.
U.S. Attorney Markenzy Lapointe for the Southern District of Florida and Special Agent in Charge Anthony Salisbury of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), Miami, made the announcement.
HSI Ft. Lauderdale investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Joseph A. Cooley is prosecuting it.
An indictment and complaint contain mere allegations, and all defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty in a court of law.
