LOS ANGELES
A San Fernando Valley man was sentenced Tuesday to over five years in federal prison for a wide-ranging identity theft and bank fraud scheme that targeted wealthy and elderly residents of Beverly Hills, officials stated.
Oren David Sela, 36, of North Hills, was sentenced to five years and a month and ordered to pay $1.8 million in restitution. He pleaded guilty in October 2024 to bank fraud and aggravated identity theft and has been in custody since October 2023.
Between late 2021 and 2023, Sela stole mail to obtain personal and financial information, including Social Security numbers and bank credentials, according to authorities.
He used that data to access victims’ online accounts—often defeating security measures by SIM-swapping phone numbers—then drained funds by transferring money into fraudulent accounts he controlled. He also ordered debit and credit cards in the victims’ names to make direct purchases.
Sela attempted to steal nearly $2.6 million and successfully stole at least $1.8 million from 62 victims, including numerous elderly residents. He spent the money on high-end goods, including a $17,000 watch, according to authorities.
Despite a 2022 arrest in Beverly Hills—where he was found with $25,000 in cash, luxury items, and fraudulent cards—Sela continued his crimes after release. Later searches uncovered $70,000 in cash, jewelry, stolen mail, and identity documents tied to dozens of victims.
The U.S. Secret Service and the Beverly Hills Police Department investigated this case. Prosecutors were Aaron B. Frumkin and Jena A. MacCabe.