Former TD Bank Employee Admits to Bribery Scheme Involving Fraudulent Accounts

Jhonnatan Steven Rodriguez admitted to opening approximately 140 bank accounts using forged signatures and accepting cash bribes, some accounts allegedly tied to broader fraud operations.

A former employee of TD Bank has pleaded guilty to accepting bribes to fraudulently open more than 100 bank accounts, some of which were allegedly used for criminal activity, according to an announcement from U.S. Attorney Alina Habba.

Jhonnatan Steven Rodriguez, also known as “Jorge,” age 32, of Naples, Florida, entered his plea before U.S. District Judge Esther Salas in Newark federal court. Rodriguez pleaded guilty to one count of receipt of bribes by a bank employee and one count of making false bank entries. His sentencing is scheduled for November 25, 2025.

Court documents and statements reveal that Rodriguez began accepting bribes in late 2022 to open bank accounts fraudulently, charging between $200 and $250 per account. He ultimately opened around 140 accounts, using forged signatures on official documents and communicating with accomplices through a messaging app under the alias “Jorge.”

Authorities state that some of the accounts opened through this scheme were later used in fraud operations. The bribery charge carries a maximum sentence of 30 years in prison and a fine of up to $1 million or three times the value of the bribes. The false entries charge holds a similar maximum penalty.

The investigation was conducted by the IRS-Criminal Investigation Newark Field Office, the DEA Caribbean Division, and the FDIC Office of Inspector General’s New York Region, with assistance from the Morristown Police Department.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Marko Pesce and Justice Department trial attorneys D. Zachary Adams and Chelsea Rooney are handling the prosecution.