N.J. man faces more charges in alleged money laundering scheme from banks

STAMFORD — A New Jersey man had new larceny and money laundering charges levied against him Wednesday in connection to more than $224,000 he allegedly stole in treasury checks used to purchase gold coins, according to arrest warrants.

Juan Hernandez, 40, from Edgewater, N.J., was charged with first-degree larceny, three counts of first-degree identity theft and two counts each of conspiracy to commit first-degree larceny and second-degree money laundering in Stamford Superior Court.

Hernandez was previously arrested in Stamford, along with an alleged conspirator, 54-year-old Donna Hurley, of Harlem, N.Y., in January for similar conduct, according to two new warrants.

Both were charged with first-degree larceny, conspiracy to commit firstdegree larceny, second-degree money laundering and three counts of firstdegree identity theft.

The investigation into Hernandez and Hurley first began in October 2022 after Stamford police learned of bank accounts opened at five different banks using the information from two people who had their identities stolen. The banks were in Stamford, Darien and Greenwich, according to the arrest warrants.

The warrants state Hernandez and Hurley deposited $224,093 in treasury checks acquired from two different people then used their information to open accounts at the different banks where they then deposited the money.

Hernandez and Hurley later allegedly used the funds to purchase gold coins, police wrote in their warrants.

Using surveillance footage from the banks, police were able to identify Hernandez and Hurley, as well as a vehicle that was being used in the commission of the alleged crimes, the warrant states.

On Nov. 7, Stamford police officers pulled over a vehicle fitting the description of the vehicle identified in the surveillance footage. During the stop, police recovered paperwork allegedly related to the fraudulently opened bank accounts, fake licenses using the victims’ names and a Social Security card for one of the victims, according to the arrest warrants.

The warrants claim that police also recovered a folder from the car that contained stolen identifying information for more than 400 people.

Hernandez, who was free after posting a $500,000 bond in January, is now being held in lieu of a $250,100 bond following his arraignment on the new charges Wednesday.

He is next scheduled to appear at the state Superior Court in Stamford on April

18. His three cases were placed on the Part A docket, where the district’s most serious matters are heard.

Hurley, who has not been charged by Darien or Greenwich police departments, is next expected to appear in court on April

19. She was held on $100,000 bond.