NJ man pleads guilty to document fraud

ROCHESTER, NY — U.S. Attorney Michael DiGiacomo announced today that Christopher Hernandez, 31, of Bergen, New Jersey, pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Frank P. Geraci, Jr. to fraudulent production of more than five identification documents, authentication features, or false identification documents, which carries a maximum penalty of 15 years in prison, and a fine of $250,000. On July 7, 2025, investigators executed a search warrant on Hernandez’s iCloud account swishgoat@gmail.com . The account contained fraudulent driver’s licenses, social security cards, U.S. passports, credit cards, and bank cards. These included a fraudulent NYS Driver’s License using the name and other personally identifiable information of Victim 1, a resident of the Western District of New York. On September 16, 2025, as investigators attempted to execute a search warrant at Hernandez’s residence, he attempted to obstruct justice by destroying evidence. After law enforcement successfully entered the residence, they found additional fraudulent driver’s licenses, social security cards, credit cards, and other identification documents, as well as equipment that the defendant used to make false identification documents. In total, investigators seized: approximately 67 debit/credit cards; approximately 15 Social Security cards; approximately nine Passport Cards; approximately one Permanent Resident Alien Card; approximately three MTA Transit Track Safety Certifications; and approximately 106 driver’s licenses from approximately 21 different states. Hernandez used the personally identifiable information of more than 10 individuals to produce the identification documents, authentication features, and false identification documents. In addition, Hernandez admits: In December 2024, he fraudulently obtained a $175,400.80 check that was issued out of a bank account belonging to Victim 2. The check was deposited into Hernandez’s checking account. In October, 2024, he fraudulently obtained a $10,900 check that was issued out of the retirement account of Victim 3 and deposited into his checking account. In April 2024, he fraudulently obtained a $79,500.89 check that was issued out of the retirement account of Victim 4 and deposited into his checking account. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Meghan K. McGuire. The plea is the result of an investigation by the Buffalo Office of the FBI, under the direction of Special Agent-in-Charge Allen D. Davis, II, the New York State Police, under the direction of Major Amie Feroleto, the Internal Revenue Service, Criminal Investigation Division, under the direction of Special Agent-in-Charge Harry T. Chavis, Jr. Sentencing is scheduled for November 17, 2026, before Judge Geraci. # # # #