JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — According to an announcement made by United States Attorney Roger B. Handberg, Christopher Leo Daragjati has admitted to two counts of wire fraud, two counts of aggravated identity theft, and one count of theft of government property, over $1,000. The guilty plea was made in federal court on March 28, 2023.
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According to court documents, Daragjati was involved in a complex scheme of identity theft and fraud. He managed to obtain person identifiable information (PII) of multiple victims, including their Social Security numbers. The investigation into Daragjati’s activities began in July 2022, when the Clay County Sheriff’s Office discovered an unknown individual using stolen identities to commit fraud.
Using the stolen information, Daragjati opened commercial lines of credit with Sunbelt Rentals, an equipment rental company, under the names of the victims. After accumulating thousands of dollars worth of equipment, he either pawned or stole the items, leading to the issuance of a felony arrest warrant for an innocent victim.
Further investigations revealed that Daragjati had fraudulently obtained 26 genuine Florida driver’s licenses and identification cards, indicating the extensive nature of his illicit activities. He also took advantage of the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) by applying for three loans using stolen identities, receiving approximately $150,000 in loan proceeds from unsuspecting lenders.
The Internal Revenue Service – Criminal Investigation discovered that Daragjati had filed eight fraudulent federal tax returns under the names of six victims. One of these returns was approved, and Daragjati received a refund of over $3,000 in the victim’s identity.
As a consequence of his guilty plea, Daragjati faces severe penalties. Each wire fraud count carries a potential sentence of up to 20 years in federal prison, while the two counts of aggravated identity theft each come with a mandatory minimum penalty of 2 years imprisonment. Additionally, he could face up to 10 years in prison for the charge of theft of government property, over $1,000. Furthermore, he will be required to make restitution to the victims he defrauded.
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The court ordered Daragjati’s detention, and his sentencing is scheduled for October 26, 2023.
The investigation into Daragjati’s crimes was a collaborative effort involving Homeland Security Investigations, the Internal Revenue Service – Criminal Investigation, and the Clay County Sheriff’s Office. Valuable assistance was provided by the Florida Department of Law Enforcement, the Florida Highway Patrol – Bureau of Criminal Investigations and Intelligence, the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office, and the United States Secret Service Jacksonville Field Office.
Assistant United States Attorney Kevin C. Frein is leading the case’s prosecution, while Assistant United States Attorney Mai Tran is handling the asset forfeiture related to Daragjati’s ill-gotten gains.
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