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Russian immigrant convicted for killing ID theft victims

Immigrant from Russia, Dmitry Yakovlev convicted of the murder of two of his three identity theft victims, prosecutors announced Thursday At the court session in New York on 3 March a jury found Yakovlev’s guilty of killing two people and identity thefts of Irina Malezhik and Viktor Alekseyev, the U.S. attorney’s office in Brooklyn announced, that the remains of Malezhik were never found; Alekseyev disappeared in December 2005, and his body was found in New Jersey in 2006. Dmitry Yakovlev was also found guilty of stealing the identity of a third Brooklyn resident, Michael Klein, who disappeared in November 2003.

Yakovlev faces a possible sentence of life in prison. No sentencing date has been set.

In addition to the murders, Yakovlev was also found guilty of bank fraud and bank fraud conspiracy charges in connection with the stealing of his victims’ identities, the press release said.

Yakovlev’s wife, Julie Yakovlev, pleaded guilty earlier this year to identity theft charges and is currently out on bail pending her sentencing, said Robert Nardoza, spokesman for the U.S. attorney’s office. She was not charged in connection with the slayings.

The couple was originally charged in August 2009 with illegally using the identities of three people between 2003 and 2007. Their attorneys did not return phone calls seeking comment Thursday.

The verdict assessors took seven hours.

As found out Yakovlev was killing people to get hold of their personal data, credit cards and bank accounts. Then he with his wife Yulia Yakovleva cashed the victim’s money to buy expensive jewelry.

Dmitry Yakovlev sentence will be announced on June 3, 2011. 43-year old native of Russia is facing a life sentence.

According to media reports, Yakovlev, coming from Russia, settled in Brooklyn. According to judicial records, the immigrant was a medical doctor by training, presumably – a surgeon. Forensic noted the professionalism with which the corpse was dismembered Victor Alexeev

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