Posted on 05/11/2009 5:21:46 PM PDT by Cindy
Queens Man Admits Supplying Social Security Numbers to Fraud Ring
NEWARK—A Queens, N.Y. man pleaded guilty today to supplying Social Security numbers to members of an identity fraud ring, acting United States Attorney Ralph J. Marra, Jr. announced.
Yomi Jagunna, 44, pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Susan D. Wigenton to one count of conspiracy to commit identity theft. Sentencing is scheduled for Aug. 12.
Jagunna, whose bail is set at $1 million, was returned to custody, where he has been since his arrest on a criminal Complaint in New York on Oct. 28. A one-count Indictment charging him in the conspiracy was returned on March 23.
At the plea hearing before Judge Wigenton, Jagunna admitted to agreeing with others to sell Social Security numbers of victims without their authorization. Jagunna admitted to maintaining an account with a commercial database provider in the name of Elam Collection Agency, which Jagunna held out to be a legitimate debt collection company. Using the database account, Jagunna looked up Social Security numbers and provided them in person and by e-mail to coconspirators for approximately $30 per Social Security number.
The government asserted in court that it would have introduced evidence at trial showing that Jagunna made approximately 100,000 separate queries in furtherance of this and similar schemes since 2002. Jagunna admitted that he knew he was providing Social Security numbers in furtherance of unlawful activity.
Jagunna is one of eight defendants charged in New Jersey between August and November 2008 in connection with an international identity theft and bank fraud ring, in which the defendants conspired to deplete available funds from home equity lines of credit (“HELOCs”) and other accounts belonging to identity theft victims, either by engineering fraudulent withdrawals or by gaining unauthorized access to the victims’ on-line bank accounts. The remaining seven defendants, all of whom are charged by complaint and detained pending trial, are: Derrick Polk, 46, of Los Angeles, Calif.; Oludola Akinmola, 38, Oladeji Craig, 40, of Brooklyn, N.Y.; Oluwajide Ogunbiyi, 32, of Springfield, Ill.; Hakeem Olokodana, 41, of Queens, N.Y.; Abayomi Lawal, 45, of Brooklyn; and Daniel Yummi, 40, of New York.
Jagunna faces a maximum statutory prison sentence of 15 years and a statutory maximum fine of $250,000. In determining and actual sentence, Judge Wigenton will consult the advisory U. S. Sentencing Guidelines, based upon a formula that takes into account the severity and characteristics of the offense and of the defendant’s criminal history, if any. However, the Sentencing Guidelines are only advisory, and Judge Wigenton has wide discretion in imposing sentence. There is no parole in the federal system, and defendants who are given custodial terms must serve nearly all that time.
Acting U.S. Attorney Marra credited Special Agents of the FBI, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Weysan Dun, and Special Agents of the IRS Criminal Investigations Division, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge William P. Offord.
The government is represented by Assistant U.S. States Attorneys Erez Liebermann and Seth Kosto of the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Newark.
-end-
The perps have African names. I wonder if they are all illegal immigrants?
Damned Amish Presbyterians !!
What’s the origin on those names? Lots of vowels.
Going by the wacky names these fraudsters are Nigerians
America celebrates diversity.
This country is friggin’ nuts to let the Democrats flood the country with these deadbeats so’s that they and there ill begotten spawn can stuff ballot boxes for the welfare state.
We’re screwed. We are so screwed.
Nigerians-— My guess
Police must like (sarc) having to sort out all these foreign born creeps crooks and criminals
Didnt the supreme court just rule recently that you have to know its someone elses social security number for it to be illegal? Just pick a number out of thin air, dont ask any questions and you are ok.
That’s the way I heard it. too.
“Going by the wacky names these fraudsters are Nigerians.”
I know for a fact that one of them has a Nigerian name (Lawal).
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.