The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that Christen Lee Cosgrove, 40, and Brian Cosgrove, 37, both of Weatherly, were indicted by a federal grand jury on conspiracy, bank fraud, wire fraud and money laundering charges.

According to Acting U. S. Attorney John C. Gurganus, the 59-count indictment alleges that between October 2022 and May 2023, the Cosgroves conspired to defraud financial institutions that had possession of money from an estate and from a 93-year-old individual totaling approximately $1 million.

It is further alleged that the Cosgroves used and caused wire transactions to fraudulently obtain the money, which they spent on personal items including a house, recreational vehicle, boat, vacations, and paying off personal and business debt.

The indictment also alleges that they used the fraudulently obtained money in multiple unlawful monetary transactions.

The case was investigated by the Internal Revenue Service and the Luzerne County District Attorney’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jenny P. Roberts is prosecuting the case.

The maximum penalty under federal law for bank fraud is 30 years of imprisonment and the maximum penalty under federal law for wire fraud is 20 years of imprisonment, a term of supervised release following imprisonment, and a fine.

A sentence following a finding of guilt is imposed by the judge after consideration of the applicable federal sentencing statutes and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines.