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Man accused of bank fraud pleads guilty; awaits sentencing
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Posted on Jul 07 2022
A man who was accused of committing bank fraud in purchasing a vehicle at Atkins Kroll has pleaded guilty to the charges against him and now awaits acceptance of his plea.
During a change of plea hearing last week at the U.S. District Court for the NMI, Ming Jin Jin, a man accused of using a fraudulently acquired driver’s license in his application to purchase a 2022 Toyota Prius from the Atkins Kroll dealership, pleaded guilty to one count of bank fraud.
After finding Jin fully competent to enter a knowing, voluntary, and intelligent plea, U.S. District Court for the NMI Magistrate Judge Heather Kennedy said she would issue an order recommending that Chief Judge Ramona Manglona accept Jin’s admission of guilt.
The written finding was issued last Friday.
The defendant’s sentencing will be scheduled after Manglona accepts the findings and recommendations.
Pursuant to the plea agreement, because a conviction for bank fraud is a Class B felony, the conviction carries a maximum penalty of 30 years in prison, a $1-million fine, and a five-year probation term.
According to court documents, Jin used a fraudulent driver’s license on Jan. 29, 2022, in applying to purchase a 2022 Toyota Prius from the Atkins Kroll car dealership. The application was forwarded to First Hawaiian Bank as FHB would finance the $30,639 needed to purchase the vehicle.
As relief, the U.S. government wants Jin to forfeit any and all property constituting, or derived from, proceeds obtained as a result of the offense.
Back in 2021, Jin was convicted of conspiracy to unlawfully produce an identification document and was sentenced to one-year probation.
Authorities said he presented a fake driver’s license and a fake vehicle registration during a traffic stop in 2019.
In that case, his term of supervised probation was set to expire on May 27, 2022. As part of the conditions of his probation, he was prohibited to drive a vehicle.
However, in February, a probation officer saw him driving a vehicle.
When he was stopped, Jin handed over an insurance certificate and a certification from Atkins Kroll Saipan indicating that he had purchased the vehicle on Jan. 28, 2022.
Jin’s probation was revoked.
