^macro[html_start;Woman pleads guilty to identity fraud;Woman pleads guilty to identity fraud;Woman, pleads, guilty, identity, fraud] ^macro[pagehead;img/library.gif] ^macro[leftcol] ^macro[centercol;



Woman pleads guilty to identity fraud



By Andy Kravetz
Source: PJStar
Date: October 11, 2003

Cyber Crime PEORIA - A 30-year-old Peoria woman admitted Thursday in U.S. District Court to using personal information she received from people looking for employment to set up bogus credit cards and bank accounts and to pay some of her bills.

Lamonica Moore of 2404 N. Institute Place pleaded guilty to identity fraud and access device fraud. Additionally, she agreed to hand over to the government her personal computers and other items used in the scheme.

From November to February, Moore posed as an employer looking to hire people for work-at-home jobs, and went to an online job classified site.

There, she got responses from people who sent their resumes and a $20 to $40 application fee often paid with a personal check, said Assistant U.S. Attorney Thomas Keith.

The checks gave her information on the bank accounts while the resumes gave her other personal information.

Once she had that, Moore opened at least four bank accounts in Georgia and Texas using other people's names. She then applied for credit cards, using the stolen identities. In all, Keith said, Moore victimized 45 to 60 people and defrauded them of more than $30,000.

The case was referred to the U.S. Attorney's Central Illinois Cybercrime Unit after several people complained.

Identity and access device fraud carry a possible 25-year prison sentence.

However, her attorney, Robert Alvarado of the federal public defender's office, told the court a pre-sentence report to be prepared by federal probation officers probably will show his client falls into a sentencing guideline range of 24 and 30 months in prison. The court could also levy a fine and order restitution.

Moore remains free on bond until her Jan. 30 sentencing.

Original article

^macro[showdigestcomments;^uri[];Woman pleads guilty to identity fraud]

] ^macro[html_end]