PORTSMOUTH, Va. — A Portsmouth man previously convicted of committing fraud is once again facing prison time for the crime.
Dominique Avery, 29, will spend nearly five years in prison for a wire fraud and identity theft scheme that amassed approximately $150,000, according to the Department of Justice (DOJ).
Just months after being released for a prior federal sentence, the DOJ says Avery began another scheme where he stole money that he claimed was for employees of a company, Home Technology Innovations, LLC. He allegedly secured incorporation documents for the company using another person's identity.
Using fraudulently obtained documents, a forged check and the personal identifying information of multiple people, according to court documents, Avery managed "to cause an out-of-state payroll services company to make more than $150,000 in direct deposits into various bank accounts."
According to the DOJ, Avery spent a "substantial portion" of the $150,000 that had been deposited in various bank accounts that he claimed belonged to employees but were determined to not exist.
Avery used several of his previous fraud victims' information to commit the more recent scheme, officials said.
