Two Men Arrested for Business Loan Scheme

BOSTON – Two men were arrested today and charged in federal court in Boston in connection with illegally using the identity of another individual to apply for two business loans.

Igor Mosieev, 59, of Newton, was indicted on two counts of bank fraud and one count of aggravated identity theft. Alexander Grinis, 47, of Jamaica Plain, was charged in the same indictment with one count of false statements on loan applications. Mosieev and Grinis were arrested this morning and will appear this afternoon in federal court in Boston. 

According to the indictment, Grinis was the manager of Eastern Bank in Auburndale. Among his responsibilities were assisting customers with opening and closing accounts and applying for loans and lines of credit. In approximately February 2015, Grinis assisted Mosieev in opening a checking and savings account at Eastern Bank with the license and Social Security card of another individual, without the knowledge or consent of that person. Later that year, Grinis assisted Mosieev in adding the individual to a business account in the name of TFC Enterprises, LLC. Thereafter, Moiseev forged the individual’s name on applications for two purported business loans. On each loan application, Grinis falsely certified that he had complied with all bank procedures and, as a result, the loans were approved. The proceeds of the two loans were subsequently distributed to the business checking account and Moiseev forged the individual’s name on checks and withdrew money from the account to pay for his own personal expenses. In addition, Moiseev, with Grinis’ assistance, caused proceeds from the business checking account to be wire transferred to Russia, Canada, and elsewhere overseas using the individual’s name. Both loans defaulted and were never paid back to Eastern Bank, resulting in a loss of over $90,000.

The charges of bank fraud and false statements provide for a sentence of no greater than 30 years in prison, five years of supervised release, and up to a $1 million fine. The aggravated identity theft charge provides for a mandatory sentence of two years in prison, to be served consecutive to any other sentence imposed, up to three years of supervised release, and a fine of $250,000. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

United States Attorney Andrew E. Lelling and Harold H. Shaw, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Field Division, made the announcement today.  Assistant U.S. Attorney Laura J. Kaplan of Lelling’s Organized Crime and Gang Unit is prosecuting the case.

The details contained in the indictment are allegations. The defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.