Former Banker Pleads Guilty To Bank Fraud

Tampa, Florida -United States Attorney Roger B. Handberg announces that Igor Shushpanov (39, Tampa) today pleaded guilty to a criminal information charging him with one count of bank fraud. Shushpanov faces a maximum penalty of 30 years in federal prison. A sentencing date has not yet been set.

According to the plea agreement, from as early as February 2017, until in an around July 30, 2022, Shushpanov opened checking accounts at multiple credit unions that were members of the Federal Home Loan Bank system. Shushpanov then obtained credit cards or personal lines of credit from the credit unions. Upon receipt of the credit cards or personal lines of credit, Shushpanov made purchases or cash advances up to the credit limit. Shushpanov would then purportedly pay off the entire balance by sending worthless checks from accounts under his custody and control.

Between the time that the financial institutions credited Shushpanov's credit account balances and the worthless checks were returned for insufficient funds, he would again max-out his credit cards and personal lines of credit resulting in higher negative credit account balances. Shushpanov continued perpetrating this scheme by repeatedly depositing worthless checks and making subsequent credit card or personal line of credit purchases, then filed a bankruptcy petition to avoid paying the credit unions he defrauded.

As part of the plea agreement, Shushpanov has agreed to forfeit $303,093.26, the proceeds of the charged criminal conduct.

This case was investigated by the Federal Housing Finance Agency - Office of Inspector General and the Federal Bureau of Investigation. The Office of the United States Trustee for the Middle District of Florida, Tampa Division, also provided substantial investigative assistance. It is being prosecuted by Special Assistant United States Attorney Chris Poor.