NORFOLK, VA—

Irfan M. Jameel,

52, of Virginia Beach, Va., was sentenced today to 108 months in prison, followed by five years of supervised release, for committing wire fraud, bank fraud, and using of a false social security number.

Dana J. Boente, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia, and Special Agent in Charge Royce E. Curtin of the FBI’s Norfolk Field Office, made the announcement after Jameel’s sentencing before Senior United States District Judge Henry Coke Morgan, Jr.

Jameel was indicted on July 25, 2013 by a federal grand jury on one count of wire fraud affecting a financial institution, two counts of financial institution fraud, and one count of using a false social security number. Following a nine day trial that concluded on June 12, 2014, a jury convicted Jameel on all counts of the indictment.

According to court records and evidence at trial, Jameel defrauded several lenders by misrepresenting the status and nature of his business and income in the U.S. and Canada and by misrepresenting his medical career and accomplishments. Among other things, Jameel claimed to be the chief scientist of an international biotechnology company, Biocer, and reported that it paid him approximately $8,000,000 in 2005 and 2006. Jameel reported to lenders that he received this income due to his invention of genetically-engineered trees, which would be used in producing bioceramic, termite-resistant wood. As a result of these and other misrepresentations, Jameel obtained $3 million in loans from SunTrust to buy an 8 acre waterfront estate in Virginia Beach, $2.375 million in loans from Gateway Bank, and a $46,000 car loan from a local credit union. Although using a portion of these loan proceeds to extinguish some of this debt, Jameel later defaulted upon all of these loans. After obtaining such loans, Jameel also used a false social security number when seeking the preparation of three years of federal income tax returns by an accounting firm.

This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Norfolk Field Office. Assistant United States Attorneys Robert Krask and Stephen Haynie prosecuted the case on behalf of the United States.

A copy of this press release may be found on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia. Related court documents and information may be found on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case No. 2:13-cr-98.