A man was extradited from New York City for allegedly obtaining a fake license and giving it to a woman to use at a Stamford bank to illegally withdraw $3,000.
Benjamin Bowden, 28, of 2241 Webster Avenue, Bronx, NY, was charged Wednesday with third-degree larceny, second-degree forgery, third-degree identity theft and accompanying conspiracy charges on the three offenses. He was released after posting $25,000 bond.
Sgt. Andrew Gallagher said on Sept. 5, 2012, a woman showed up at the HSBC bank branch on Atlantic Street with a California driver’s license, but no debit card. The woman, later identified as Stephany Jeffry, 20, of the Bronx, said she was visiting from California and had lost her debit card. She was given $3,000 by the teller.
Jeffry then showed up at the HSBC branch in Darien and tried to make another withdrawal. But a bank employee, who checked the account history and saw $3,000 had been taken out of the account less than an hour before, called Darien police.
When police got to the bank, they saw a black Nissan exit the driveway. The Nissan, driven by Bowden, then got into a head-on accident a short distance from the bank, Gallagher said.
Gallagher said that police talked to Jeffry, who eventually explained that Bowden obtained the fake driver’s license and drove her to Stamford and Darien to make the withdrawals.
Jeffry was charged with criminal impersonation, forgery and third-degree larceny and identity theft.
Bowden is scheduled to return to Stamford and be arraigned on the charges June 26, 2013.
