The leader of a bank fraud conspiracy that targeted a western Washington credit union has been sentenced to three years in prison, according to an announcement by U.S. Attorney Charles Neil Floyd. Dangelo Roberts, 23, orchestrated the scheme and used social media to advertise his ability to create false identification documents. He recruited others to help access and drain victims’ accounts.
At the sentencing hearing in U.S. District Court in Seattle, Judge Jamal N. Whitehead told Roberts, “What you did was serious… It caused real financial harm.”
Court records show that Roberts worked with Aneicia Ford, 33, of Tacoma, who had brief employment at the credit union. During her time as a contact center employee from May to October 2022, Ford accessed customers’ personal information while working from her Tacoma home. She provided this information to Roberts and other conspirators.
Using stolen account details, the group obtained fake IDs from Roberts and used them to get new debit cards or withdraw money directly from branches. Roberts instructed others on how to impersonate account holders and maximize withdrawals—sometimes up to $25,000 in cash by increasing ATM limits. He also directed coconspirators to spend funds through cashier’s checks or postal money orders made out to himself or associates.
The total amount stolen from the credit union accounts was about $345,014. Judge Whitehead found Roberts responsible for $146,016 of that loss and ordered him to pay restitution for that amount.
Six people were charged in connection with the scheme. Both Ford and Roberts face significant penalties due to their roles: Ford for abusing her position of trust and Roberts for his leadership role in organizing the fraud ring. Each faces a mandatory minimum sentence of two years; Ford is scheduled for sentencing on December 4, 2025.
The investigation was conducted by the Social Security Administration Office of Inspector General (SSA-OIG) and the FBI.
Special Assistant United States Attorney Jessica M. Ly is prosecuting the case.
