Spring Valley man arrested in $2.9M Texas bank fraud

A Rockland man has been arrested on federal bank fraud charges for allegedly depositing a stolen $2.9 million check at a Texas bank.

Kuljinder Singh Hunjan, 36, was arrested July 15 at his and his parents’ home in Spring Valley on a warrant accusing him of bank fraud, possession of stolen mail, aggravated identity theft and conspiracy to commit bank fraud and money laundering.

Hunjan and two accomplices defrauded Regions Bank, according to a federal grand jury indictment issued in Houston on June 28.

The scheme began last November, the indictment states, and continued to this past April 13.

Conspirators allegedly stole a United States Treasury check from the mail, forged and counterfeited identification documents to open a bank account in the names of the intended recipients of the check, deposited the check in the fraudulent account, transferred funds to other fraudulently created bank accounts, and then withdrew funds by ATM transactions, debit card purchases and other electronic transfers.

On Jan.10, for instance, Hunjan opened an account at a Regions Bank branch in Wallisville, Texas, according to the indictment, using the names, dates of birth and social security numbers of two individuals.

On Jan. 18, he deposited a U.S. Treasury check for $2,932,447 that was payable to the two individuals and had been stolen from the mail.

An accomplice allegedly working with Hunjan deposited two checks written on the Regions bank account, for $250,000 and $272,050, at a PNC Bank. Hunjan, the indictment states, deposited a $147,000 check at a Chase Bank branch.

Internal Revenue Service agent Michael Harriman obtained surveillance footage from the Chase Bank “showing the individual known as Kuljinder Singh Hunjan depositing a check,” he states in an affidavit.

After his arrest, Harriman says, Hunjan confirmed that he was the individual in the surveillance footage.

Assistant federal prosecutors consented to Hunjan being released on bail during the July 15 initial appearance in U.S. District Court, White Plains. U.S. Magistrate Judge Judith C. McCarthy released him from custody on posting a $150,000 personal recognizance bond.

Two co-defendants, Benjamin Thomas and Courtney Tanganife Smith, were arrested and charged in Texas.