(WNY News Now) – BUFFALO, N.Y. — A 51-year-old Canadian man has pleaded guilty to conspiring to commit bank fraud in a scheme involving stolen personal information and more than 80 fraudulent checks deposited into bank accounts, according to federal prosecutors.

John Shestowsky, of Greenfield Park, Quebec, pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge John L. Sinatra Jr. to conspiracy to commit bank fraud, U.S. Attorney Michael DiGiacomo announced.

The offense carries a maximum potential penalty of 30 years in federal prison. Sentencing will be scheduled for a later date.

According to court proceedings, Shestowsky and co-defendant James Rasmussen conspired with others between April 2018 and July 2020 to defraud financial institutions through false and fraudulent representations.

Prosecutors said Shestowsky provided Rasmussen with individuals’ personal information, including bank account numbers, without their knowledge or permission. An April 2018 email reportedly contained information on eight individuals, including their addresses, phone numbers, banking institutions and account balances.

Rasmussen allegedly sold personal information online for profit. Between June 2019 and January 2020, he sold approximately 52 M&T Bank account numbers without the account holders’ authorization, according to prosecutors.

The scheme also involved a fictitious business called First America Solutions Corp., which Rasmussen incorporated in New York.

Prosecutors said bank accounts were opened in the company’s name at JPMorgan Chase, Bank of America and Wells Fargo. Between March and May 2020, Shestowsky and Rasmussen caused dozens of fraudulent checks to be deposited into those accounts using unauthorized bank account numbers belonging to other individuals.

The alleged deposits included:

• 24 fraudulent checks deposited into a JPMorgan Chase account between March 10 and March 26, 2020.
• 18 fraudulent checks deposited into a Bank of America account between March 11 and March 16, 2020.
• 47 fraudulent checks deposited into a Wells Fargo account between March 16 and May 6, 2020.

The checks involved unauthorized account numbers belonging to 89 individuals. One of the identified victims was in Wayne County, within the Western District of New York.

Charges against Rasmussen remain pending, according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Paul E. Bonanno is prosecuting the case. The investigation was conducted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation under the direction of Special Agent-in-Charge Allen D. Davis II.