An East Boston man and his sister have both been arrested and arraigned in connection with using fake identities to create counterfeit checks and using those checks to steal over $120,000 from auto auction houses around the state.
Amarildo Silva, 30, was arraigned on charges of Possession of Counterfeit Notes, Identity Fraud and Forging Registry Documents and his sister Edna DaSilva, 24, was arraigned on charges of Identity Fraud and Forging Registry Documents.
Silva and DaSilva were arrested last week at their East Boston residence by Massachusetts State Police assigned to Attorney General Martha Coakley’s Office with assistance from the Governor’s Auto Theft Strike Force (GATSF).
Earlier this month, the Attorney General’s Office began an investigation after the matter had been referred by the GATSF.
Authorities allege that Silva defrauded the auto auctions in Lynn, Quincy and Framingham by using a fake identity and creating counterfeit checks. Silva had done business at the auctions. Investigators discovered that Silva created counterfeit copies of the legitimate checks of the auto auctions, issued checks to himself and deposited these checks into bank accounts he held at various banks throughout the state. Silva allegedly made withdrawals totaling over $120,000 from the banks. Several of the banks noticed that some of the checks were counterfeit and froze Silva’s accounts.
Investigators discovered that after the bank accounts had been frozen, Silva brought DaSilva to a bank to open an account in the name of a fake landscaping company. DaSilva allegedly used a fake identity to try and open this new bank account.
Both Silva and DaSilva were arraigned in East Boston District Court and plead not guilty. Following the arraignment East Boston District Court Judge Robert Ronquillo ordered Silva to be held on $200,000 bail. DaSilva was ordered held on $50,000 bail. Both are due back in court on September 17, for a pre-trial hearing.
Assistant Attorney General Glenn Cunha, Managing Attorney in AG Coakley’s Criminal Bureau and Assistant Attorney General Marina Moriarty, are prosecuting the case. The Governor’s Auto Theft Strike Force is investigating it with assistance from Massachusetts State Police assigned to the Attorney General’s Office