SLO County Attorney Wins Record $20.1 Million Verdict in Identity Theft Case

Former San Luis Obispo College of Law professor Matt Loker has secured what is being described as the largest Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA) verdict in U.S. history, winning a record-setting $20.1 million judgment against Comenity Capital Bank.

The federal verdict, issued on November 6, 2023, stems from a case involving a Ukrainian refugee who was hit with more than $200,000 in fraudulent credit card debt.

Congratulations to former SLOCL professor Matt Loker on a record-breaking settlement! #SLOCL #legalprofession #recordsettlement #LegalImpacthttps://t.co/dKtYJE0yvO

— San Luis Obispo Law (@SLOcollegeoflaw) November 24, 2025

This case is filed under number 5:23-cv-04965, and was heard in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California. The verdict of this case was issued on November 6, 2023, by Judge Eumi K. Lee, with the plaintiff represented by attorney Matthew M. Loker of Loker Law. 

The plaintiff, Panchenko, relocated to the U.S. in April 2023 after fleeing the war in Ukraine. Soon after arriving, he discovered that a fraudster had generated approximately $200,000 in unauthorized credit card debt under his name, leading to the case being filed under the FCRA, Fair Debt Collection Practices Act (FDCPA), California Consumer Credit Reporting Agencies Act (CCCRAA), and California Identity Theft Act (CITA)

The verdict was secured by Loker Law, APC, a consumer protection firm that handles identity theft, inaccurate credit reporting, and unfair debt collection cases, as noted by the SLO County Bar Association.

The firm focuses on representing consumers whose financial or personal records have been compromised through no fault of their own.

The case was led by attorney Matthew Loker, who previously worked at a national consumer protection law firm before founding Loker Law, APC. He also serves on the board of the San Luis Obispo Legal Assistance Foundation.

Loker Law has been involved in several other high-value consumer cases, including Franklin v. Wells Fargo Bank, N.A. ($13.8 million settlement), Mount v. Wells Fargo Bank, N.A. ($5.6 million settlement), and Hoffman v. Bank of America Corporation ($2.6 million under Penal Code 632 et seq.).