Career Criminal Sentenced to 8 Years in Prison for Credit Card Fraud and Identity Theft Offenses

 John H. Durham, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, announced that STEVEN A. FINKLER, also known as Andrew Finkler, 56, last residing in New Haven, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Stefan R. Underhill to 96 months of imprisonment, followed by three years of supervised release, for credit card fraud and identity theft offenses.

Pursuant to the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act (CARES Act), the sentencing occurred via videoconference.

According to court documents and statements made in court, in August 2017, Finkler stole credit cards from two of his employer’s customers and used the cards to make more than 40 fraudulent charges in Connecticut and New York.  The charges included Finkler’s purchase of jewelry for his girlfriend, Apple products and electronic devices, and other high-end consumer and retail goods for either himself or his friends. The total loss to the victims was $20,867.73.

In September 2018, Finkler, using another individual’s identity, opened a membership at a fitness center with gym locations throughout Connecticut.  Finkler also used the same stolen identity to create accounts with mobile device payment applications.  Between September 2018 and May 2019, Finkler visited multiple gym locations and stole credit cards from lockers and other locations while the victims were located elsewhere in the gym.  Using the stolen credit cards, and the mobile device payment applications, he made approximately $144,000 in fictitious charges to bank accounts that he created and controlled.  He then returned the credit cards to the victims’ wallets before the victims returned to the locker room.  Approximately 50 individuals were victimized through this scheme.

Judge Underhill ordered Finkler to pay restitution of $145,657.06.

Finkler has been detained since his arrest on August 15, 2019.  On January 15, 2020, he pleaded guilty to one count of access device fraud (credit card fraud), one count of wire fraud, and two counts of aggravated identity theft.

Finkler has a criminal history that spans nearly 40 years and includes numerous convictions, including five prior federal convictions stemming from various fraud schemes.

This matter was investigated by the U.S. Secret Service, Connecticut Financial Crimes Task Force, and the Wallingford, Avon, North Haven, Madison, Glastonbury and Branford Police Departments.  The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Sarala Nagala and Margaret Donovan.