MOLINE, ILL. — This is an official press release from the U.S. Department of Justice (Department of Justice), published as received.
MOLINE, Ill. – Luisito Espanola, 65, of Las Vegas, Nevada, was sentenced on May 21, 2025, to 32 months in the Federal Bureau of Prisons following his convictions for wire fraud and money laundering. United States District Judge Sara Darrow ordered Espanola to report to the Federal Bureau of Prisons on June 23, 2025.
During the one-week jury trial, the government presented evidence that on December 2, 2020, and December 22, 2020, Espanola created and sent fraudulent emails to the City of Moline requesting that the City make ACH (payment information) changes for two vendors with which the City conducted business. As a result of that fraud, the City of Moline suffered a loss of $404,764.59.
“We thank the thorough and professional efforts of the Moline Police Department and the United States Secret Service in investigating this matter and bringing this fraudster to justice,” said Assistant U.S. Attorney Timothy A. Bass.
Espanola faced a penalty of up to twenty years in prison on each of his two fraud convictions and a penalty of up to twenty years in prison on each of his two money laundering convictions.
The United States Secret Service investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Bass and Jennifer L. Mathew represented the government in the prosecution.
