Maine Man Pleads Guilty to Wire Fraud

            CONCORD - David Keene, 38, of North Berwick, Maine pleaded guilty in federal court to wire fraud, Acting United States Attorney John J. Farley announced today.  

            According to court documents and statements made in court, John Doe is a minor child known to Keene.  In July 2020, Doe’s legal guardian reported to the Rochester Police Department that Keene had used Doe’s Social Security Number (“SSN”) to open many accounts and incur significant debt.  Credit reports showed that the accounts were opened between December 2016, when Doe was seven years old, and August 2019, when Doe was ten years old.  Documents and records showed that Keene used Doe’s SSN to acquire, among other things, utility services and several credit cards.  Keene also used Doe’s SSN to obtain loans to purchase a snowmobile, motorcycle, and multiple cars.  For example, one of the loans was for $56,648.50 to purchase a BMW SUV.  Overall, Keene fraudulently obtained at least $227,828 in money and property that he was not entitled to receive.

            Keene is scheduled to be sentenced on October 7, 2021.

            “Those who misuse Social Security numbers to commit fraud are committing a serious federal crime,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Farley.  “We work closely with our law enforcement partners to protect the integrity of the Social Security system and to identify and prosecute those who use other people’s identities to commit fraud.  By coordinating with our law enforcement partners, we are holding criminals accountable for their conduct and obtaining justice for crime victims.”

            “This guilty plea demonstrates our commitment to hold accountable those who intentionally misuse the Social Security numbers of others for their own personal gain,” said Jermaine Jack, Acting Special Agent-in-Charge of the Social Security Administration Office of the Inspector General, Boston Field Division. “I want to thank the Rochester and the Strafford Police Departments, and the Stafford County Attorney’s Office, as well as Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Alexander S. Chen for their efforts in investigating and prosecuting this case.

            This matter was investigated by the Social Security Administration’s Office of the Inspector General, Rochester Police Department, and Strafford Police Department, with assistance from the Strafford County Attorney’s Office.  The case is being prosecuted by Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Alexander S. Chen.                      

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