Subject: [NEXTEL-1] Nextel gets Caught-up In Identity Theft Case

From: Marcel <[email-masked]>
Date: Sat, 14 Dec 2002 15:31:25 -0500

Nextel gets Caught-up In Identity Theft Case

15 are indicted in massive
identity theft scam

Islanders are among those accused of illegally obtaining credit
cards and going on Internet buying spree

Thursday, December 12, 2002

By JOHN J. O'BRIEN
ADVANCE SUPREME COURT BUREAU

In what may be one of the largest identity theft schemes to hit Staten
Island, 15 people from Clifton and Brooklyn have been indicted in
connection with charges that they used an employee list from a bus
company to illegally obtain credit cards and purchase tens of thousands
of dollars in merchandise over the Internet.

At the core of the partially sealed 47-count grand jury indictment filed
yesterday in state Supreme Court, St. George, are two conspiracy
charges wrapped around the alleged commission of second-degree grand
larceny and various other crimes.

So far, only five of the 15
accused have been named in
the indictment. The
remaining defendants' names
are to be unsealed during
arraignment on Wednesday
in state Supreme Court,
when all parties are
expected to answer the
charges.

The defendants include
Tiffany Roberts, 25; Rochelle
Carey, 35; Elizabeth
Saunders, 49; and Katima
Caldwell, 20. All four live on
the 200 block of Park Hill
Avenue. A fifth woman named in the indictment, Linda Simpson, 53,
resides on the 800 block of Louisiana Avenue in Brooklyn.

Assistant District Attorney David Frey, who is prosecuting the case,
sought a grand jury indictment after cops conducted a massive raid in the
privately owned Park Hill apartment complex on June 13, following an
investigation into credit card fraud.

EMPLOYEE LIST

In all, 21 women, 16 men and two children under 16 where arrested in the
three-hour operation, but only 15 were indicted.

The indictment charges that, sometime beginning in May 2000, Ms. Carey
obtained an employee list from the Atlantic Express Bus Company and
gave the list to Ms. Roberts and others not yet named in the indictment.

Court documents say that Ms. Roberts and the unnamed defendants then
opened Citibank and Chase credit card accounts using several names
from the employee list.

An apparent Internet shopping frenzy then took place between May 2000
and Jan. 16, 2002, when the defendants allegedly made Internet
purchases from Nextel.com, Gap.com, Disneyonline.com, OldNavy.com
and CVS Pharmacy Online.

Ms. Roberts and other unnamed defendants are also accused of using a
computer to order Equifax credit reports on several people whose names
were on the bus company list.

The address of Atlantic Express Bus Company was not listed in the
indictment.

Nat Schlenker, chief financial officer for Atlantic Express Transportation
Corp., Port Richmond, the parent corporation for Atlantic Express Inc. and
Atlantic Express Coachways Inc., which serve Island commuters, could
not confirm that his company and the bus company mentioned in the
indictment were the same entity. Schlenker denied any knowledge of an
employee list being taken from his firm or any of its subsidiaries.

"We have heard absolutely nothing about this from the district attorney's
office," Schlenker said.

Frey said he could not comment on the case.

Ms. Roberts stands charged with two counts of fourth-degree conspiracy;
10 counts of fourth-degree grand larceny; one count of attempted
fourth-degree grand larceny; eight counts of fourth-degree criminal
possession of stolen property; six counts of third-degree grand larceny;
one count of first-degree scheme to defraud, and one count of third-degree
forgery.

SPECIFIC CHARGES

Specific charges against Ms. Carey include one count of fourth-degree
grand larceny; one count of third-degree grand larceny; three counts of
fourth-degree grand larceny, and two counts of fourth-degree criminal
possession of stolen property.

The indictment accuses Ms. Simpson, who is also known as Frances
Campbell, of one count each of fourth-degree conspiracy and criminal
possession of stolen property in the fifth degree; three counts of
fourth-degree grand larceny, and three counts of third-degree grand
larceny.

Ms. Saunders, aka Elizabeth Frilando, is charged with one count each of
fourth-degree conspiracy, fourth-degree criminal possession of stolen
property and third-degree grand larceny. She is also charged with
fourth-degree criminal possession of a weapon -- an electronic stun gun.

Ms. Caldwell is charged with one count each of fourth-degree conspiracy,
fourth-degree grand larceny, first-degree scheme to defraud and
third-degree grand larceny.

All five woman have remained free without having to post bail since their
initial court appearance in Stapleton Criminal Court on June 14.

John O'Brien covers state Supreme Court for the Advance. He may be
reached at [email-masked].

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