A Boston man has pleaded guilty to charges involving bank fraud and aggravated identity theft after using forged identification documents to access customer accounts, according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Massachusetts.
William Shaw, 68, admitted to four counts of bank fraud and four counts of aggravated identity theft. Federal prosecutors stated that Shaw posed as at least 13 account holders between late 2022 and early 2025 by presenting forged driver’s licenses that featured the victims' personal details paired with his own photograph.
Investigators found that Shaw submitted withdrawal forms using the names and account numbers of the victims to acquire cash and cashier's checks totaling more than $900,000.
Following his charging in January 2026, Judge Julia E. Kobick scheduled Shaw's sentencing for January 6, 2027. Assistant U.S. Attorney Kristen Kearney is managing the prosecution.
The case is connected to a broader multi-state bank fraud investigation spanning Massachusetts, Connecticut, and Rhode Island, which previously resulted in charges against six additional men in July 2025. Among those related defendants, three have entered guilty pleas and are awaiting sentencing, while another has already been sentenced.
Under federal guidelines, a bank fraud conviction carries a maximum sentence of up to 30 years in prison, alongside potential fines reaching $1 million or twice the amount gained or lost. Additionally, each count of aggravated identity theft carries a mandatory minimum sentence of two years, which must be served consecutively to any other term.
