KANSAS CITY, Mo. – A Kansas City, Mo., woman was sentenced in federal court today for a series of fraud schemes that utilized stolen identity information.
Quanisha M. Capelton, 37, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Howard F. Sachs to four years in federal prison without parole. The court also ordered Capelton to pay $40,675 in restitution to her victims.
On Nov. 15, 2022, Capelton pleaded guilty to one count of making a false statement to a financial institution, one count of bank fraud, one count of aggravated identity theft, and one count of wire fraud. Capelton admitted she impersonated individuals and used their stolen personal information and credit scores to open accounts or apply for loans.
Capelton specifically admitted that she used one victim’s stolen identity information to open a bank account and apply for a $2,500 loan. According to court documents, she used this victim’s stolen identity information to open an AT&T account, fraudulently obtain at least eight loans from various lenders, and attempt to obtain loans from at least two financial institutions. She was arrested at one of the banks while attempting to obtain a loan in the victim’s name. In total, Capelton intended to cause a loss of $36,128 through the utilization of this victim’s personal information.
Capelton also specifically admitted that she used another victim’s stolen identity information to apply for a $4,500 consumer loan. According to court documents, about 20 months after her above-referenced arrest, Capelton began using this victim’s stolen identity information to fraudulently finance a diamond ring through Kay Jewelers and apply for at least three separate loans. Capelton intended to cause a financial loss of $18,369 through the utilization of this victim’s personal information.
According to court documents, Capelton executed multiple fraudulent schemes. In addition to the bank fraud scheme and the wire fraud scheme to which she specifically admitted, she participated in a check-cashing scheme from April 2019 to December 2021. Capelton deposited worthless or stolen checks into numerous bank accounts. She then impersonated the account holders in order to withdraw as much money as possible before the bank became aware the deposited checks were worthless or stolen. Capelton personally deposited at least 52 worthless or stolen checks in eight different bank accounts, totaling $108,200, of which Capelton made fraudulent withdrawals of approximately $35,509.
The total intended loss of her fraud schemes was $162,697.
This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Nicholas Heberle. It was investigated by the Lee’s Summit, Mo., Police Department, the Independence, Mo., Police Department, and the Kansas City, Mo., Police Department.