Nicaraguan National Gets 15 Years for $29 Million Bank Fraud

MIAMI – A previously deported Nicaraguan national was sentenced to 15 years in federal prison on May 4, 2026, for his role in an international bank impersonation scheme that defrauded victims of more than $29 million, per a U.S. Department of Justice press release from the Southern District of Florida.

The scheme affected victims across the United States, with losses exceeding $29 million from fraudulent activities involving cyber-enabled impersonation of bank officials, according to the DOJ press release.

Prior to the sentencing, the individual had been deported from the U.S. and later faced charges for the fraud operation; the new sentence imposes 15 years of imprisonment, marking the resolution of the case in the Southern District of Florida federal court, effective immediately upon pronouncement on May 4, 2026, as detailed in the DOJ announcement.

The sentencing activates standard federal post-conviction procedures, including potential appeals within 14 days to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Eleventh Circuit, and requires the individual to serve the term in a Bureau of Prisons facility. It also triggers restitution orders for the $29 million in victim losses, directing funds recovery through the DOJ's asset forfeiture programs.

Federal immigration authorities will process deportation proceedings upon completion of the sentence, per standard protocols for non-citizen offenders.

This case follows a series of DOJ actions against cyber fraud networks, including a similar 2025 indictment in the Eastern District of New York involving international wire fraud that resulted in $15 million in losses. The original charges in this matter stemmed from investigations initiated in 2024 under the DOJ's cybercrime enforcement initiative.