Thief bilked bank and 70-year-old North Bergen man to secure bogus $150,000 loan

The digital breadcrumbs led investigators to a scheme so brazen it would make Frank Abagnale blush—if the alleged perpetrator hadn’t left a virtual paper trail wider than the Lincoln Tunnel.

Humza Khan, a 28-year-old New Yorker with New Jersey ties, now faces federal charges for what prosecutors describe as a financial shell game played with someone else’s life.

According to court documents unsealed Tuesday in Newark, Khan allegedly exploited his family connection to a 70-year-old North Bergen man—the father of his brother-in-law—to secure a $150,000 loan for a Florida specialty pharmacy he controlled.

The kicker? The elderly victim reportedly didn’t know his name, Social Security number, and signature had been drafted into service until the loan went into default last year.

Federal prosecutors have unveiled startling details in an alleged financial fraud case involving a New York man accused of hijacking a New Jersey senior’s identity to secure a $150,000 loan.

Khan, 28, appeared in Newark federal court this week facing wire fraud and aggravated identity theft charges in what investigators describe as a brazen exploitation of family trust and digital loopholes.

The scheme allegedly began in 2020 when Khan, who has ties to New Jersey, convinced a 70-year-old North Bergen man—the father of his brother-in-law—to co-sign an auto loan.

That act of familial goodwill, according to court documents, became the gateway for a far more ambitious financial deception. Just months later, prosecutors claim Khan repurposed the elderly man’s personal information to portray him as the owner of Orange City Pharmacy LLC, a Florida-based specialty pharmacy Khan allegedly controlled.

The paper trail reveals an almost cinematic attention to detail. Loan applications submitted to two financial firms listed the unsuspecting senior as CEO while discreetly routing all correspondence to Khan’s personal email.

Investigators say Khan then allegedly used DocuSign to affix the victim’s electronic signature to binding agreements—including a personal guarantee clause—without his knowledge. The $150,000 in proceeds reportedly flowed directly into the pharmacy’s accounts, with the victim only discovering the scheme when lenders came collecting after payments stopped in July 2021.

This wasn’t just identity theft—it was a full-scale identity impersonation, according to FBI Special Agent Laura Behlmann-Brase, whose team pieced together the case through email records, bank transfers, and digital forensic evidence. “The defendant allegedly created an entire financial doppelgänger of his relative.”

The case highlights growing concerns about “familiar fraud” in the tri-state area. Hudson County prosecutors note a 17% year-over-year increase in financial crimes perpetrated through extended family networks, often targeting seniors.

Equally troubling is the exploitation of e-signature platforms—New Jersey notaries report a 40% surge in fraudulent DocuSign activity since 2020.

Khan, released on $100,000 unsecured bond, faces up to 30 years for wire fraud plus a mandatory two-year consecutive sentence for aggravated identity theft if convicted. His legal team, including prominent defense attorney Zach Intrater, has yet to file a formal response to the charges.

Assistant U.S. Attorney George Brandley of Newark’s Health Care Fraud Unit is leading the prosecution, which may expand as investigators examine whether other individuals’ identities were similarly misappropriated.

As digital transactions become increasingly commonplace, this case serves as a stark reminder of the vulnerabilities lurking behind even the most routine financial interactions—especially when family ties are involved.

For seniors, the message is clear: trust, but verify.