San Antonio Mother Awaits Sentencing While Son Receives Federal Prison Term for Roles in a Million Dollar Bank Fraud and Aggravated Identity Theft Scheme Involving Relative’s Church
(Press Release) In San Antonio, 24-year-old Brennan R. Diaz was sentenced to a total of 56 months in federal prison followed by five years of supervised release for scheming with his mother to steal over $1 million from a local church owned by his grandfather, announced United States Attorney Richard L. Durbin, Jr., U.S. Secret Service Special Agent in Charge Lee Dotson, and Internal Revenue Service-Criminal Investigation Special Agent in Charge William Cotter.
United States District Judge Xavier Rodriguez also ordered that Diaz pay $985,346.06 in restitution. The restitution figure does not include seized assets valued at more than $100,000 which were returned to the victim.
On September 20, 2016, Diaz pleaded guilty to one count of bank fraud, one count of aggravated identity theft and one count of money laundering. His mother, Deborah A. Diaz, pleaded guilty on June 30, 2016, to one count of bank fraud and one count of conspiracy to commit bank fraud.
By pleading guilty, both defendants admitted that between February 2015 and October 2015, they conspired to defraud the La Obra Milagrosa Church (aka “The Miracle Center Church”) (TMC). Neither defendant had authority to sign TMC Church checks, however, they forged the family member’s signature on dozens of TMC business checks.
Deborah Diaz, who is currently on bond, is scheduled to be sentenced at 1:30pm on January 11, 2017.
This joint investigation was conducted by the Financial Crimes Section of the U.S. Secret Service South Texas Regional Task Force and the Internal Revenue Service-Criminal Investigation. Other agencies involved in the Task Force include the San Antonio Police Department, Bexar County Sheriff’s Office, Bexar County District Attorney’s Office and Texas Department of Public Safety-Criminal Investigations Division. Assistant United States Attorney Thomas P. Moore is prosecuting this case on behalf of the Government.
