Newton Bank Manager Pleads Guilty To Loan Scam

NEWTON, MA — A Boston man pleaded guilty yesterday in federal court in Boston in connection with using someone else's name and social security number on a loan application in Auburndale, the U.S. Attorney's Office announced today.

On Monday, Alexander Grinis, 47, of Jamaica Plain, pleaded guilty to one count of false statements on loan applications while he was the manager of Eastern Bank in Auburndale.

In 2015, Grinis admitted to helping a Newton man Igor Mosieev, 59, who pleaded guilty to charges earlier this month, open a checking and savings account at Eastern Bank with someone else's license and Social Security card, without the knowledge or consent of that person.

Later that year, Grinis helped Mosieev add that person to a business account in the name of TFC Enterprises, LLC. Moiseev then forged the person's name on applications for two business loans.

On each loan application, Grinis falsely certified that he had complied with all bank procedures and, as a result, the loans were approved.

The proceeds of the two loans were then distributed to the business checking account and Moiseev forged the person's name on checks and withdrew money from the account to pay for his own personal expenses.

Moiseev, with Grinis’ help, then took the proceeds from the business checking account and wire transferred them to Russia, Canada and elsewhere overseas using the other individual’s name.

Both loans defaulted and were never paid back to Eastern Bank, resulting in a loss of more than $90,000.

For making false statements Grinis faces up to 30 years in prison, five years of supervised release, and a fine of up to $250,000, or twice the gross gain/loss whichever is greater.

In June 2018, Grinis was arrested and charged with co-defendant Igor Mosieev, 59, of Newton, who pleaded guilty on May 3. U.S. District Court Judge Nathaniel M. Gorton scheduled sentencing for Grinis on Aug. 7.

Before Grinis worked for Eastern Bank, he worked as a Financial Analyst at Merrill Lynch, then was a manager at Santander Bank in Newton, Needham and Milton for about five years, according to his LinkedIn account. He worked for Eastern Bank in Lexington and Newton for the past decade and listed a job as vice president of Citizens Bank in 2017 on his profile.

Related:

Newton Man Pleads Guilty to Business Loan Scheme

Patch reporter Jenna Fisher can be reached at Jenna.Fisher@patch.com or by calling 617-942-0474. Follow her on Twitter and Instagram (@ReporterJenna).