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Last updated on Monday, September 16, 2013
(INDIANAPOLIS) - A total of 18 people were arrested and charged Friday in connection to an identity theft scheme.
U.S. Attorney Joseph Hogsett says the group used stolen Social Security numbers, which were made to look like credit profile numbers. They used the identities to apply for several car loans.
Court documents say Kimberly Taylor, 47, of California, received Social Security numbers and would sell credit profile numbers as a way to enhance poor credit to David Day, 36, of Indianapolis. Day would sell the numbers to people who were looking for good credit scores in order to apply for car loans and other property. Day would also give instructions on how to fraudulently represent themselves to the Bureau of Motor Vehicles.
The scheme is believed to have begun in September 2010.
Sixteen people who bought the numbers were also charged. They are Gerald Adams, 33, Janine Howard, 46, DeJuan Alexander, 41, Joe Snow, 36, Christopher Newton, 36, Ashley Fox, 27, Lashonda Collier, 36, Joshua Day, 28, Jeremy Gilbert, 28, Ryan Thompson, 45, Ernest Jones, 39, Marshall Lindsay, 34, Nashamba Floyd, 31, Keyona Berry, 33, and Sylvester Ragland, 36. They have been charged with conspiring to commit wire fraud and making a false loan and credit applications.
Officials say if convicted, the defendants could face up to 20 years in prison for conspiracy and 30 years in federal prison for making false statements in loan and credit applications. Five additional years could be added for using a false Social Security number.
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