11 charged with bank fraud for credit card scheme

Eleven people have been charged with bank fraud for a scheme that involved fraudulently obtaining credit cards and quickly maxing them out.

The defendants are accused of using false employment and income information when applying for credit cards online to secure approval and higher credit limits, according to a statement from the U.S. attorney’s office. They then purchased goods and services until the cards were maxed out.

Some of the accused later filed for bankruptcy to discharge the debts from their credit cards, prosecutors said.

Several also created phony corporations and linked mobile payment accounts to them, prosecutors said. They then made fictitious purchases through the corporations, creating charges that were later reimbursed by the credit card issuers.

The following people were each charged with one count of bank fraud in an indictment returned by a federal grand jury Sept. 29 and unsealed Thursday in federal court:

• Gabriel Cwynar, 37, of Chicago;
• Izabela Kapusciak, also known as Izabela Cwynar, 39, of Chicago;
• Jaroslaw Wysocki, 48, of Schaumburg;
• Bartosz Pozniak, 42, of Mount Prospect;
• Jolanta Wysocka, 50, of Schaumburg;
• Monika Szczurek, 36, of Lombard;
• Marcin Cychowski, 41, of Addison;
• Daniel Noga, also known as Daniel Terlecki, 41, of Des Plaines;
• Franciszek Bystron, 37, of Park Ridge;
• Arthur Radolinski, 32, of Lisle; and
• Elzbieta Buczek, 37, of Bensenville.

All 11 defendants pleaded not guilty Thursday during arraignment before U.S. Magistrate Judge Young Kim, prosecutors said. A status hearing has been scheduled for Dec. 1 before U.S. District Judge James Zagel.

Each count of bank fraud is punishable by up to 30 years in prison and a $1 million fine, according to the U.S. attorney’s office. The indictment also seeks forfeiture of at least $1.3 million.