Newton Man Sentenced for Business Loan Scheme

BOSTON – A Newton man was sentenced yesterday in federal court in Boston for illegally using the identity of another individual to apply for two business loans. 

Igor Mosieev, 59, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Nathaniel M. Gorton to 30 months in prison and five years of supervised release. In addition, Mosieev was ordered to pay restitution in the amount of $91,418.

 In May 2019, Mosieev pleaded guilty to two counts of bank fraud and one count of aggravated identity theft. In June 2018, Mosieev was arrested and charged with co-defendant Alexander Grinis, 47, of Jamaica Plain. 

Grinis was the manager of Eastern Bank in Auburndale where his responsibilities included 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, Mosieev 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 Mosieev forged the individual’s name on checks and withdrew money from the account to pay for his own personal expenses. In addition, Mosieev, with Grinis’ assistance, caused proceeds from the business checking account to be wired 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.

United States Attorney Andrew E. Lelling and Joseph R. Bonavolonta, 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 prosecuted the case.