Opinion ID: 614602
Heading Depth: 3
Heading Rank: 2

Heading: Bank Fraud (Counts 11-18)

Text: More than a year after this series of embezzlements, Gilchrist again defrauded Wells Fargo, this time engaging in a lengthy and elaborate check-kiting [1] scheme. Beginning in late 1999, Gilchrist opened more than a dozen Wells Fargo bank accounts using either his own name, one of his various aliases (such as David Bangsberg), or an account purportedly doing business as one of his aliases (such as Bruce Gilchrist dba Bruce's Memos N Photos). Gilchrist used Social Security numbers stolen from other individuals to create two of his aliases. He also acquired and used multiple California driver's licenses in names such as Michael Colston, Bruce Gilchrist, and David Bangsberg. Gilchrist then created checks from non-existent or closed accounts belonging to other individuals. He made these checks payable to a false identity or business, deposited them into one of the bank accounts he had created, and then withdrew a portion of the funds before Wells Fargo realized that the deposited checks should not be cleared. These transactions, charged in Counts 11 to 18 of the Indictment, took place from February 2000 to May 2001. In all, Gilchrist deposited nearly 60 fraudulent checks into his various accounts, totaling $269,679.78.