Two plead guilty in bank fraud, identity theft case

ALBANY, N.Y. (NEWS10)-- According to the United States Department of Justice, two additional defendants in a national bank fraud conspiracy have pleaded guilty to their roles. Kani Bassie, 36, of Brooklyn, and Jermon Brooks, 20, of Richmond, Virginia, admitted to conspiring to commit bank fraud.

Officials said the defendants conspired to steal the identities of people all over the country, and impersonated them to obtain cash, checks, loans and credit from banks and credit unions. The defendants, as well as others, allegedly opened bank accounts, leading to nearly $3 million in intended losses and more than $1.5 million in actual losses.

According to the Department of Justice, Bassie and Brooks supervised and oversaw coconspirators.

Bassie also admitted to conspiring with the alleged ringleader Oluwaseun Adekoya, to take control of the proceeds and to use the proceeds to reinvest in the conspiracy.

In March 2024, Oluwaseun Adekoya, age 39, of New Jersey, and David Daniyan, age 60, of Brooklyn, New York, were charged in an indictment returned last December, along with codefendants Victor Barriera, age 64, of the Bronx, New York; Gaysha Kennedy, age 46, of Brooklyn; Jerjuan Joyner, age 50, of Brooklyn; Akeem Balogun, age 56, of Brooklyn; Danielle Cappetti, age 46, of the Bronx; and Lesley Lucchese, age 53, of Brooklyn, with conspiracy to commit bank fraud and two counts of aggravated identity theft.

Bassie and Brooks were charged in an additional indictment, which stemmed from an ongoing investigation that began in 2022 after the arrest of Daniyan, Kennedy and Barriera by the Cohoes Police Department.

Bassie was charged with one count of conspiracy to commit bank fraud and two counts of aggravated identity theft. Brooks was charged with one count of conspiracy to commit bank fraud and one count of aggravated identity theft.

The two join thirteen others who have pleaded guilty.

Previous defendants include Daniyan, Kennedy, Balogun, Barriera, Cappetti, Joyner, Ozmore, Lucchese, Hunter, Kurschner, and Quivers.

"The FBI takes very seriously our responsibility to investigate and pursue those who commit fraud for personal gain," FBI Special Agent in Charge Craig Tremaroli said. "We will continue working with our law enforcement partners to hold accountable those who use illegal means and criminal behavior to take advantage of others."

Both defendants face a maximum sentence of 30 years for the bank fraud conspiracy charges and two years for aggravated identity theft. Bassie also faces a 20-year term for a money laundering conspiracy charge.

The two will also be required to pay restitution and face a probation term of up to five years.