Pulaski Woman Indicted for Bank Fraud, Social Security Fraud, and Aggravated Identity Theft

Apr 16, 2024

From the U.S. Attorney’s Office, Northern District of New York

SYRACUSE, NEW YORK – Wanda Gilpin, age 70, of Pulaski, New York, was arraigned today on a federal indictment charging her with six counts of bank fraud, two counts of misuse of a social security number, and one count of aggravated identity theft, United States Attorney Carla B. Freedman and Bradley Parker, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the Social Security Administration Office of Inspector General (SSA-OIG), New York Field Office announced.

According to the indictment, Gilpin is accused of applying for multiple credit cards and loans using the personal identification information—including the social security number—of other individuals, including her deceased husband. She executed this scheme to obtain lines of credit and loans with no intention of ever re-paying them.  Gilpin is accused of stealing thousands of dollars from several different financial institutions during the course of several years.

The bank fraud charges filed against Gilpin carry a maximum sentence of 30 years in prison and a fine of up to $1,000,000. The misuse of a social security number charges carry a maximum sentence of 5 years and a fine of up to $250,000. Gilpin is also subject to a mandatory sentence of two years in prison, for the aggravated identity theft count, to be served in addition to any punishment for any other charges of conviction. If convicted, Gilpin will also be subject to a term of supervised release of up to five years after her release from prison. A defendant’s sentence is imposed by a judge based on the particular statute the defendant is charged with violating, the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines, and other factors.

The charges in the indictment are merely accusations. The defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.

The SSA-OIG is investigating the case and the case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Adrian LaRochelle and Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Paul Tuck.

Read more from the SSA: Read More