San Fernando Valley Man Sentenced to 5 Years in Prison for Identity Theft Scheme

Introduction to the Case

A San Fernando Valley man was sentenced Tuesday to five years and one month in federal prison for attempting to steal about $2.6 million by assuming Beverly Hills residents’ identities — often by lifting mail and packages from their homes.

Oren David Sela, 36, of North Hills pleaded guilty last year to federal counts of bank fraud and aggravated identity theft, according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office.

Details of the Scheme

Sela engaged in hundreds of fraudulent withdrawals and transfers from dozens of victim accounts, prosecutors said, and was successful in stealing at least $1.81 million. Along with the prison term, he was ordered to pay that amount in restitution.
According to court documents, from November 2021 to October 2023, Sela stole the mail of Beverly Hills residents to obtain debit cards, bank account numbers, credit cards, telephone numbers and other personal identifying information. He used the information to gain unauthorized access to the victims’ bank accounts. Sometimes, to defeat two-factor authentication on a victim’s account, Sela would engage in “SIM swapping” of the victim’s telephone number to a SIM card that he would control, prosecutors said.

Understanding SIM Swapping

SIM swapping is the process of fraudulently inducing a carrier to reassign a cell phone number from the legitimate subscriber’s SIM card to a SIM card controlled by another without the legitimate subscriber’s authorization. This allows the perpetrator to take control of the victim’s various accounts through two-step authentication text messages sent to a victim’s cell phone.

Execution of the Scheme

After gaining access to a victim’s bank account, Sela opened additional fraudulent accounts in the victim’s name and transferred funds from the victim’s bank account into those accounts. Sela would then withdraw funds from the fraudulent accounts or use the fraudulent accounts to make unauthorized purchases or transfers, federal prosecutors said.
Sometimes, Sela caused debit cards and credit cards linked to a victim’s account to be sent directly to him, and he then used those cards to make fraudulent unauthorized purchases, according to the 2023 indictment filed in Los Angeles federal court.

Arrest and Investigation

In December 2022, Sela was arrested for driving a car reported as stolen, according to an affidavit filed with the criminal complaint. On Sela’s person at the time of his arrest, authorities found six debit and credit cards in the names of four different victims, according to the document.
Subsequent to the arrest, during a search of Sela’s then-residence in West Hollywood, law enforcement uncovered extensive stolen mail containing victims’ personal information; bank statements and account information relating to at least 18 different victim accounts; five California driver’ licenses belonging to five confirmed victims of identity theft; seven debit and credit cards belonging to confirmed fraud victims; and checks and receipts for expensive retail items, including a watch worth nearly $17,000, that had been fraudulently obtained using victims’ money, according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office.
Sela was found with about 33 pieces of stolen mail in December 2022, and at least 118 pieces of stolen mail on Oct. 10, the indictment says.
At least two dozen victims have been identified.

Conclusion

The case of Oren David Sela serves as a stark reminder of the dangers of identity theft and the importance of protecting personal and financial information. The sentence handed down reflects the seriousness with which law enforcement and the judicial system view such crimes. It is essential for individuals to remain vigilant and take necessary precautions to secure their identities and financial accounts.

FAQs

• Q: What was the nature of Oren David Sela’s crime?
  A: Oren David Sela was involved in an identity theft scheme where he attempted to steal about $2.6 million from Beverly Hills residents by assuming their identities.
• Q: How did Sela obtain the personal information of his victims?
  A: Sela obtained personal information by stealing mail and packages from the homes of his victims, which included debit cards, bank account numbers, credit cards, telephone numbers, and other identifying information.
• Q: What is SIM swapping, and how was it used in this case?
  A: SIM swapping is a process where a perpetrator fraudulently induces a carrier to reassign a cell phone number to a SIM card controlled by the perpetrator, allowing them to bypass two-factor authentication. Sela used this method to gain unauthorized access to his victims’ bank accounts.
• Q: What was the outcome of Sela’s case?
  A: Sela pleaded guilty to federal counts of bank fraud and aggravated identity theft and was sentenced to five years and one month in federal prison. He was also ordered to pay $1.81 million in restitution.
• Q: How many victims were identified in this case?
  A: At least two dozen victims have been identified in Sela’s identity theft scheme.