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June 5, 2018

Brothers sentenced to jail for $400,000 Commerce Bank fraud

The Commerce Bank Lincoln Street branch in Worcester is pictured. The bank one of 13 in Central Massachusetts to keep its name following an acquisition by Boston-based Berkshire Hills Bancorp in October.

Two Chicago brothers have been sentenced to a combined 27 years in prison for defrauding and attempting to defraud banks out of $4 million, including $400,000 from Commerce Bank, formerly headquartered in Worcester.

Ryan Miller, 32, and Dusten James Miller, 31, were sentenced in federal court in Worcester Tuesday to 15 and 12 years, respectively. In addition, each were hit with five years of supervised release.

The two were convicted in February of conspiracy to commit bank fraud, conspiracy to commit money laundering, conspiracy to commit identity theft. Ryan Miller was also convicted of bank fraud, money laundering, and aggravated identity theft.

According to the U.S. Department of Justice, the brothers, along with co-conspirators, applied for fraudulent bank loans for an airplane using stolen identities and documents, including tax returns, licenses, bank statements and social security cards.

According to court records, the pair got away with $400,000 from Commerce Bank. 

When the loans were approved, the brothers would have the loan documents sent to an email address or physical address to sign and notarize the documents, which were then sent back to the bank.

The Millers told the banks to wire the loans to multiple bank accounts in the name of fake companies the brothers set up. 

The funds were used to buy luxury homes, cars, Rolex watches, private chauffeurs, and other items.

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