Oregon man sentenced to prison for ID theft after opening 30 bank accounts in victim's name

PORTLAND, Ore. (KOIN) – A man from Redmond, Oregon was sentenced to federal prison for evading tax debt payments totaling $1.1 million and using a stolen identity to open more than 30 bank accounts and credit cards, authorities announced.

The United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Oregon announced 69-year-old Michael Anastasia was sentenced to two years in federal prison with three years’ supervised release on December 17.

Anastasia was also ordered to pay $777,899 in restitution to the victim with restitution to the Internal Revenue Service to be determined at a later date.

According to court documents, from 2002 until January 2020, Anastasia used the victim’s social security number to open several bank accounts and credit cards.

Additionally, between 1991 and 2003, Anastasia received $1.4 million from another victim after convincing them of a “fabricated agreement with the United States to secure access to allegedly seized funds,” authorities said.

Later, in 2007, Anastasia was convicted of tax evasion after failing to pay federal income taxes on the funds he received from the victim.

Following his prison release in 2015, Anastasia entered an agreement with the IRS, which required him to make payments towards his tax debt if he received more than $4,500 per month.

Instead of paying his taxes, Anastasia convinced the victim to send funds over that amount to his roommate, authorities said, noting Anastasia told his roommate to withdraw the overage in cash, then stored the money in a safe in his home.

Officials said between March 2016 and September 2018, Anastasia evaded more than $180,000 in payments to the IRS.

In February 2024, a federal grand jury in Eugene charged Anastasia with wire fraud, aggravated identity theft, tax evasion, and making false statements to financial institutions.

In September, he pleaded guilty to tax evasion and identity theft, authorities said.