Former Houston banker convicted of bank fraud

HOUSTON -- Carlos Lavin Ibarra, 33, of Houston, has entered a guilty plea to one count of bank fraud, announced United States Attorney Kenneth Magidson.

Ibarra worked at JP Morgan Chase Bank in Houston. He admitted that while employed there, he purchased or caused to be purchased $779,000 in cashier's checks on accounts owned by a person from Nigeria. This person was deceased at the time of the defendant's actions and Chase was not advised of his death. The defendant admitted he acted fraudulently and without authority.

The cashier's checks were all made payable to "Ben Leasing." Ibarra admitted he caused another individual to obtain a certificate of operation under the assumed name of Ben Leasing from the County Clerk of Harris County and open a bank account in that name.

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