Oren David Sela, a 36-year-old man from the San Fernando Valley, has been sentenced to a 61-month term in federal prison for engaging in a scam that netted at least $1.8 million through identity theft and mail fraud. United States District Judge Dolly M. Gee ordered Sela to pay restitution of $1,818,369, following his October 2024 guilty plea to charges of bank fraud and aggravated identity theft.
According to the Department of Justice, Sela's criminal activities spanned from November 2021 to October 2023. During this period, Sela repeatedly stole mail from residents within and around Beverly Hills, targeting particularly the elderly to obtain personal information such as debit cards, bank account numbers, and Social Security numbers.
Utilizing his victims' personal identifiable information (PII), Sela masterminded unauthorized access to their financial accounts. Notably, he employed techniques like SIM-swapping, which allowed him to bypass two-factor authentication measures. His operation extended to opening additional fraudulent accounts for funneling funds into accounts he controlled, enabling withdrawals or purchases, and using debit or credit cards issued under his victims' names.
Sela's fraudulent transactions reached hundreds in number, impacting at least 62 individuals, of which included various senior citizens, according to the U.S. Secret Service and the Beverly Hills Police Department, who investigated the case. In his possession were items that flaunted his ill-gotten wealth, such as a watch valued at nearly $17,000. During his arrest in 2022, he had nearly $25,000 in cash and jewelry, along with numerous fraudulent debit and credit cards.
Despite a previous arrest in 2022 with subsequent release, Sela's illegal activities persisted unchecked until his ultimate apprehension in October 2023. Subsequent searches of his property unearthed additional evidence, including over $70,000 in cash, expensive jewelry, receipts, and a hoard of stolen mail and PII. The investigation and subsequent prosecution underscore a commitment to bring cyber and identity thieves to justice, as detailed by Assistant United States Attorneys Aaron B. Frumkin and Jena A. MacCabe, who led the prosecution.
