Madera Woman Pleads Guilty to Bank Fraud and Identity Theft

FRESNO, Calif. —Leah Guillen, 39, of Madera, pleaded guilty today to bank fraud and aggravated identity theft, Acting U.S. Attorney Phillip A. Talbert announced. 

According to court documents, in early 2018, Guillen obtained the name, social security account number, and date of birth of an individual. Guillen then used this information to impersonate her and fraudulently gain access to her bank accounts at Golden 1 Credit Union. Using an unauthorized debit card, Guillen drained the victim’s bank accounts over a three-month period between April 18, 2018, and June 30, 2018, causing a loss in excess of $210,449.

This case is the product of an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, and the Madera Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Laura D. Withers is prosecuting the case.

Guillen is scheduled for sentencing on Feb. 28, 2022, before U.S. District Judge Dale A. Drozd. Guillen faces a maximum statutory penalty of 30 years in prison and a $1 million fine. Any sentence, however, would be determined at the discretion of the court after consideration of any applicable statutory factors and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, which take into account a number of variables.