Major Credit Card Thief Convicted

On February 15, 2000, an individual from New York pled guilty to three felony charges of money laundering, interstate transportation of stolen property, and credit card fraud. The defendant obtained access to fitness centers and country clubs across the country, stealing credit cards from gym lockers. The defendant charged thousands of dollars in merchandise, including computers, stereo equipment and Rolex watches and resold the merchandise to individuals who had previously placed orders with the defendant. The investigation was initiated from a referral from local law enforcement authorities. Various investigative techniques, including the analysis of CTR and SAR filings and the execution of a search warrant ultimately led to the defendant's conviction. The defendant was sentenced to serve 50 months and ordered to make restitution of $782,298. Agencies participating in this investigation with local law enforcement included the IRS-Criminal Investigation, FBI, and the U.S. Secret Service. (Source: IRS/ Criminal Investigation)

Excerpted from SAR Activity Review Issue 2, page 30