Tampa man visited 36 Pinellas banks, used 20 IDs and stole $450K, cops say
A Tampa man has been arrested on fraud charges after he stole nearly $450,000 while visiting 36 Pinellas County banks and using 20 different fraudulent names or stolen identities, according to court records.
James Joseph Scannapieco, 45, is facing charges of scheming to defraud and fraudulently using other people’s personal information. He also is wanted in other Florida counties, including Hillsborough, on similar charges.
Arrest affidavits indicate the Pinellas County swindles occurred in September and October. Fifth Third banks were frequent targets and Scannapieco committed the frauds at locations in St. Petersburg, Clearwater, Largo and Palm Harbor, according to those affidavits.
“The defendant has conducted himself in an ongoing systematic course of actions with the intent to obtain money from banks using fraudulent practices with stolen identities,” one of the affidavits states.
Records indicate that both the Pinellas County Sheriff’s Office and the Clearwater Police Department have been involved in an investigation of Scannapieco.
Scannapieco was arrested and booked at the Pinellas County jail on Thursday, where he remained on Monday. His total bail amount was $149,200, records state.
A judge has ordered that should Scannapieco bail out of jail, he must wear a monitor and stay away from Fifth Third banks and the people whose identities he stole, records show.
