Man Sentenced for Looting Thrift Savings Plan Account

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ALEXANDRIA, Va. – A Maryland man was sentenced today to four years in prison for stealing the identity of an Alexandria resident and withdrawing funds from the victim’s retirement savings account.

According to court documents, Alpha Kanu, 29, of Laurel, illegally obtained the victim’s name, date of birth, address, and Social Security number. He then used that information to access the victim’s online account with the Virginia Department of Motor Vehicles to obtain the victim’s driver’s license number, as well as to change the victim’s mailing address. Kanu learned that the victim, a 28-year federal employee presently serving as a civilian employee of the U.S. Army, had a substantial amount of retirement savings in a Thrift Savings Plan (TSP) account. Kanu, impersonating the victim, took out a $45,000 loan against the TSP account, the proceeds of which he deposited into a bank account in the victim’s name. Kanu subsequently withdrew those ill-gotten funds and used them on personal purchases.

The money stolen from the victim’s account was reimbursed to the victim as an administrative expense of the TSP, a cost borne by all TSP participants.

G. Zachary Terwilliger, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia, Timothy M. Dunham, Special Agent in Charge, Criminal Division, FBI Washington Field Office, and Richard Delmar, Acting Inspector General for the U.S. Department of Treasury, made the announcement after sentencing by U.S. District Judge Anthony J. Trenga. Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael L. Jones and Assistant U.S. Attorney Alexander E. Blanchard prosecuted the case.

A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia. Related court documents and information are located on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case No. 1:19-cr-147.