A Dedham man has found himself in hot water after being charged with a series of bank frauds and money laundering, according to a recent announcement by the U.S. Attorney's Office. Wyoming Killingbarrows, 30, or Patricio Junio Brito Pontes Barros at birth, is facing four counts of bank fraud and one count of money laundering after allegedly submitting 18 fraudulent bank loan applications over a six-week period in 2021.
Officials state that Killingbarrows falsified information, including his income and employment, to secure loans totaling $329,002. Charged with crimes that threaten him with decades behind bars, Killingbarrows is accused of not repaying any of the loans obtained under false pretenses. Using his birth name, prosecutors say he supported his applications with fake paystubs from a company.
Aside from the misuse of funds for personal expenses including investments, Killingbarrows also faces a charge of money laundering for the alleged mishandling of the criminally derived funds. As outlined by the charges, each count of bank fraud could result in a sentence of up to 30 years in prison, along with fines that can climb up to $1,000,000. The additional count of money laundering carries its own penalties: up to 10 years of imprisonment and a heavy fine, potentially double the amount of money laundered.
The collaborative investigation that caught Killingbarrows in the act involved the U.S. Secret Service and the Internal Revenue Service Criminal Investigation. According to U.S. Attorney Leah B. Foley, alongside Special Agents Andrew Murphy and Thomas Demeo, they pieced together the alleged crimes of Killingbarrows, who was formally charged last Monday, at the federal court in Boston. The date was shared by the U.S. Attorney's office last Friday, making the repercussions of Killingbarrows’ alleged actions a stern message to those considering similar frauds.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Brian J. Sullivan of the Narcotics and Money Laundering Unit is leading the prosecution in this case which underscores the often unseen consequences of white-collar crime.
