A New York City man has been ordered to spend time behind bars for a multi-state bank and identity fraud scheme. Archil Grdzelishvili, also known by an alias “Archie Longson,” has been handed an 18-month prison sentence and must pay $140,200 in restitution, following his guilty plea to nine counts of bank fraud earlier this year in June, as per the United States Attorney's Office.
According to an announcement by Acting United States Attorney Joshua S. Levy, and pertinent information from the United States Attorney's Office, Grdzelishvili's crimes spanned across Massachusetts and Connecticut. Between March 9, 2022 and March 16, 2022, having obtained a fraudulent Massachusetts driver’s license, he used it at various banks over eight times to siphon off over $140,000 from a company’s bank accounts, imaging the identity of an executive from that establishment.
Further crimes committed by Grdzelishvili included the possession of a second counterfeit license portraying a Connecticut restaurateur, which he used in an attempt to withdraw $14,000 from the victim’s bank account before his eventual capture in April 2022. It was under the guise of this fabricated persona, the identity thief almost extended his illegal exploits before the law intervened.
The United States Secret Service, Boston Field Office, led by Special Agent in Charge Andrew Murphy, alongside the police departments of Cambridge and Danbury, Connecticut, worked in conjunction to bring Grdzelishvili to justice. Assistant U.S. Attorney Brian J. Sullivan of the Major Crimes Unit effectively prosecuted the case. These revelations highlight a growing concern of identity theft and the sophisticated means by which individuals attempt to undermine financial and personal security.
