United States Attorney's Office District of Connecticut
Press Release

KILLINGWORTH MAN PLEADS GUILTY TO CREDIT CARD FRAUD

Kevin J. O'Connor, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, announced that KEVIN BENTLEY, age 40, of 53 Route 80, Killingworth, Connecticut, waived indictment and pleaded guilty today in New Haven federal court to a felony charge of credit card fraud.

During court proceedings before United States Magistrate Judge Joan G. Margolis, BENTLEY acknowledged that in July 2000, he used his father's name, social security number and employment information to open a Citibank credit card account under his father's identity, and then requested that a secondary card be issued in the name of KEVIN BENTLEY as an authorized user. In a one-year period from July 2000 through the end of June 2001, BENTLEY incurred charges on the card in his father's name that totaled over $7,000. BENTLEY's father, a resident of New York, was initially unaware of the account, as the cards and credit card statements were sent to KEVIN BENTLEY's home in Connecticut.

During proceedings in court, the government explained that BENTLEY's father only later discovered that the Citibank card – and five other credit card accounts – had been fraudulently opened by his son, KEVIN BENTLEY, using his identity. In a sworn statement to Citibank, BENTLEY's father declared that: (1) he did not apply for the Citibank credit card account; (2) he had not authorized, directed, nor empowered any individual to seek credit on a Citibank credit card in his name; (3) he did not receive the Citibank credit card, nor did he receive any money, goods, services or benefit in any way, either directly or indirectly through the use of the Citibank card; and (4) he had reason to believe that KEVIN BENTLEY applied for and/or benefitted from the Citibank card.

The government explained that, in addition, KEVIN BENTLEY recently admitted to his father that he had opened each account in his father's name.

BENTLEY is scheduled to be sentenced by United States District Court Judge Janet Bond Arterton on May 3, 2004.

BENTLEY faces up to ten years in prison, followed by a term of supervised release for a period of up to three years. Additionally, BENTLEY faces a maximum fine of $250,000.

The case was investigated by United States Postal Inspector Paul Hinman of the United States Postal Inspection Service. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Stephen B. Reynolds.

CONTACT:

U.S. ATTORNEY'S OFFICE
Tom Carson
(203) 821-3722
thomas.carson@usdoj.gov