FBI Busts Cuban National Stealing More Than $800,000 From Elderly Victim’s Bank Account
The FBI has busted a Cuban national for stealing more than $800,000 from an elderly victim’s bank account. Michel Duarte Suarez soon pleaded guilty for his role in a scheme he directed from his residence in Panama. He then laundered the proceeds with the assistance of co-conspirators in South Florida.
U.S. prosecutors initially indicted Suarez in September 2023. However, he resided in Panama City, Panama at the time. U.S. authorities arrested Suarez in Panama in January 2025 and brought him to South Florida to face the charges.
Suarez explained to an informant in March 2022 that he had access to an 82 year old victim’s bank account.
To carry out the fraud conspiracy, Suarez created and mailed fraudulent checks from Panama to South Florida to co-conspirators. He gave his co-conspirators directions to cash the checks. They were then to return 50% of the fraud proceeds to Suarez’s Miami-based company, Online Electronics.
The fraudulent checks contained forged signatures resembling the victim’s signature for their bank account.
In total, Suarez and his co-conspirators stole approximately $803,000 from the elderly victim’s bank account.
A federal judge has scheduled sentencing for September 29, 2025 in Miami.
Suarez pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit bank fraud and mail fraud (Count 1). He also pleaded guilty to one count of aggravated identity theft (Count 4).
Suarez faces up to 30 years in prison on Count 1 with an additional mandatory two years in prison. The sentence for the remaining counts is to run consecutive to any term of imprisonment imposed on Count 1.
Assistant United States Attorney Alexander Thor Pogozelski is prosecuting the case. Assistant United States Attorney Marx Calderon is handling asset forfeiture proceedings.
The case can be seen at http://pacer.flsd.uscourts.gov, under case number 23-CR-20359-WILLIAMS.
