Army recruiter stole identities of recruits to apply for loans, credit cards

An Army recruiter used the identities of seven would-be recruits to open bank accounts, cash in on fraudulent checks and credit cards in their names, and even buy plane tickets for a Las Vegas trip, according to federal court documents.

Former Sgt. 1st Class Jane Crosby pleaded guilty to bank fraud and aggravated identity theft in a federal court in Newark, New Jersey. Crosby was a recruiter in East Orange, New Jersey, in 2023 when, according to a plea agreement released by the Department of Justice, she used the identities of seven recruiting prospects to open accounts at a credit union.

Crosby used copies of recruits’ passports, driver’s licenses, Social Security cards and other personal identity documents to open “pre-active duty membership” accounts at a credit union in New Jersey. Once the memberships were approved, Crosby used the accounts to apply for over a quarter-million dollars in loans and credit cards and tried to withdraw cash from the accounts after depositing fraudulent checks.

Most of those efforts failed, investigators said, when the applications and checks were rejected by the credit union.

None of the recruits, according to court documents, were aware of Crosby’s use of their identities. Only one eventually joined the Army.

Crosby’s lawyer, Harley D. Breite, said she regrets her actions.

“She led a law-abiding life. This is an aberration,” Breite told Task & Purpose. “She’s sorry for what she has done, and this will never happen again.”

The Army did not return an email on Crosby’s status, but the DOJ press release referred to her as a “former” soldier. She could face up to a maximum of 30 years in prison and a $1,000,000 fine, according to the DOJ.

Applied for a quarter-million dollars in loans and credit cards

In all, the Department of Justice release said, Crosby pleaded guilty to fraudulently applying for $266,000 in loans and credit card accounts, and using the accounts to deposit fraudulent checks that appeared to be issued by the Department of the Treasury.

Several times while applying for loans and credit cards, Crosby called the bank’s customer service phone center posing as a recruit while “attempting to disguise her voice.” Investigators said those calls came from phone lines associated with Crosby, including a line at her recruiting office and a second number she listed in email signatures as her own.

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She called the help lines several times when several of the loan applications and fake checks were rejected by the credit union and to check on account balances after depositing fraudulent checks, according to the original criminal complaint.

Most of the loans and fake checks were rejected, court documents said, but in November 2023, the credit union issued a credit card to Crosby in one of the recruits’ names. She immediately changed the address on the card from the recruit’s home address to her recruiting station. Crosby used the card to buy two plane tickets from Las Vegas to New York, according to the criminal complaint.

Court documents did not name the credit union involved.

Of the seven recruits, court documents said, one eventually joined the Army and served in Texas. Two others tried to join but were unsuccessful, while the other four contacted recruiters but did not pursue enlistment.