March 28, 2024, 11:25:54 PM *
Welcome, Guest. Please login or register.

Login with username, password and session length
News: NEW CHILD BOARD CREATED IN THE POLITICAL SECTION FOR THE 2016 ELECTION
 
   Home   Help Login Register  
Pages: 1   Go Down
  Print  
Author Topic: NYC Theft & Credit Card Fraud Ring Victimized Thousands, Over 100 Arrests  (Read 6301 times)
0 Members and 1 Guest are viewing this topic.
MuffyBee
Former Moderator
Monkey Mega Star
*
Offline Offline

Posts: 44737



« on: October 07, 2011, 05:28:32 PM »

http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-504083_162-20117394-504083.html
NYC identity theft and credit card fraud victimized thousands, more than 100 arrested, says D.A.
October 7, 2011

CBS/AP) NEW YORK - Bank tellers, restaurant workers and other service employees in New York City lifted credit card data from residents and foreign tourists as part of an identity theft ring that stretched out to China, Europe and the Middle East and victimized thousands, authorities said Friday.

In total, 111 people were arrested and more than 85 are in custody; others are still being sought. Five separate criminal enterprises operating out of Queens were dismantled. They were hit with hundreds of charges, said Queens District Attorney Richard Brown, calling it the largest fraud case he'd ever seen in his two decades in office.

"These weren't holdups at gunpoint, but the impact on victims was the same," Police Commissioner Raymond Kelly said. "They were robbed."

The enterprise had been operating since at least 2010 and included at least one bank and restaurants, mostly in Queens.
 ::snipping2::
More than $13 million was spent on iPads, iPhones, watches, handbags from Gucci and Louis Vuitton, authorities said.

The charges include enterprise corruption, theft and grand larceny. Many of the accused members of the theft ring are being held on steep bail.
Logged

  " Everyone is entitled to his own opinion, but not his own facts."  - Daniel Moynihan
MuffyBee
Former Moderator
Monkey Mega Star
*
Offline Offline

Posts: 44737



« Reply #1 on: October 07, 2011, 05:32:59 PM »

http://www.nypost.com/p/news/local/biggest_id_scam_in_us_history_results_lzD4ISQypXL3ssu5VJtDON
Biggest ID scam in US history results in 111 arrests
October 7, 2011

Cops broke up the biggest ID theft in American history after busting 111 people who allegedly made bogus credit cards as part of a Queens-based scam that cost consumers, banks and retailers a whopping $13 million, authorities said today.

The alleged scammers -- members of five organized forged credit card and identity theft rings -- had ties to Europe, Asia, Africa and the Middle East, the NYPD and Queens DA's office said at a news conference.

This is by far the largest – and certainly among the most sophisticated – identity theft/credit card fraud cases that law enforcement has come across,” said Queens DA Richard Brown. “Credit card fraud and identity theft are two of the fastest growing crimes in the United States, afflicting millions of victims and costing billions of dollars in losses to consumers, businesses and financial institutions.

The people arrested are charged in 10 indictments with stealing the personal credit information of thousands of American and European consumers, costing the cardholders, financial institutions and retail businesses more than $13 million in losses over a 16-month period.

Eighty-six of the defendants are in custody, while another 25 are wanted, authorities said.

Also, cops said nearly two dozen people were charged in six indictments with participating in burglaries and robberies throughout Queens. The Queens DA's office said four defendants were charged with conspiring to commit a bank robbery in Forest Hills.

Five are charged with stealing more than $95,000 worth of cargo from Kennedy Airport and seven are accused of stealing approximately $850,000 worth of computer equipment from the Citigroup Building in Long Island City, the DA said.
Much more...




Logged

  " Everyone is entitled to his own opinion, but not his own facts."  - Daniel Moynihan
MuffyBee
Former Moderator
Monkey Mega Star
*
Offline Offline

Posts: 44737



« Reply #2 on: October 07, 2011, 05:56:42 PM »

http://www.reuters.com/article/2011/10/07/us-crime-idtheft-idUSTRE7965TS20111007?feedType=RSS&feedName=domesticNews
Biggest identity theft bust of its type in U.S. history
October 7, 2011

(Reuters) - Police said on Friday they eavesdropped on thieves speaking Russian, Mandarin and Arabic to make the biggest identity theft bust of its kind in U.S. history against a $13 million crime ring specializing mainly in selling Apple electronics overseas.

Authorities said "Operation Swiper" indicted 111 people from five criminal enterprises in Queens, New York, the nation's most ethnically diverse county, where 138 languages are spoken and more than half the population is foreign born.

"The schemes and the imagination of these thieves is mind boggling," said New York City Police Commissioner Raymond Kelly at a press conference.

"These crimes are getting more sophisticated and thieves have amazing knowledge of how to use technology," Kelly said.

A two-year investigation revealed the enterprises had ties to larger syndicates in Africa, Europe, the Middle East and eastern Asia, Kelly said. The crime rings ran nationwide shopping sprees in which "crew leaders" oversaw "shoppers" and thieves conducted their business from five-star hotels, renting luxury cars and private jets.
More...
Logged

  " Everyone is entitled to his own opinion, but not his own facts."  - Daniel Moynihan
Pages: 1   Go Up
  Print  
 
Jump to:  

Use of this web site in any manner signifies unconditional acceptance, without exception, of our terms of use.
Powered by SMF 1.1.13 | SMF © 2006-2011, Simple Machines LLC
 
Page created in 2.092 seconds with 20 queries.