by:Â Vivian Chow
Carlos Corona, 36, from Los Angeles, and Jose Luis Edeza Jr., 31, from Sunland, have pleaded guilty to stealing approximately $2.7 million by targeting the mail of residents in Southern California. Their scheme involved third-party bank accounts and stolen checks, as confirmed by the U.S. Attorney’s Office.
From October 2020 to August 2023, the duo, along with accomplices, pilfered checks from the U.S. mail stream, including those from mail collection boxes outside post offices. They recruited accomplices through social media advertisements, promising a share of any stolen funds deposited into their accounts.
These accomplices would provide personal information, such as bank account numbers, PINs, and online banking credentials, enabling the suspects to access funds quickly. The stolen checks were often deposited into these accounts, with many being falsely endorsed in the original payee’s name. In other cases, the checks were altered to match the names on the bank accounts.
After depositing the checks, the suspects rapidly withdrew the funds via cash withdrawals, electronic transfers, or debit card purchases. To evade suspicion, they instructed bank account holders to claim their accounts had been compromised if contacted by banking institutions regarding the fraudulent transactions.
This scheme allowed the suspects to steal at least $2.7 million, according to authorities. Both men pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit bank fraud and one count of aggravated identity theft. A sentencing hearing is set for July 8, where they could face up to 30 years in prison for the bank fraud conspiracy and a mandatory two-year sentence for aggravated identity theft.
