Title: “14 Indicted in Puerto Rico Identity Theft and Financial Crime Ring: Operation Island Express II”
Suspects Allegedly Sold Identities of U.S. Citizens to Illegal Residents
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Fourteen individuals were indicted on Tuesday for their roles in a conspiracy involving identity theft, money laundering, aggravated identity theft, and passport fraud that targeted U.S. citizens in Puerto Rico, according to a press release.
Top officials involved:
- Assistant Attorney General Leslie R. Caldwell
- U.S. Attorney Rosa Emilia Rodríguez-Vélez
- Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary Thomas Winkowski, ICE
- Chief Postal Inspector Guy Cottrell, USPIS
- Chief Richard Weber, IRS
- U.S. State Department
Scheme Allegations
The alleged identity theft and financial crime scheme ran from at least July 2008 to April 2014, as detailed in the federal grand jury indictment. Individuals in Puerto Rico sold identities and associated documents to illegal residents in various metropolitan areas.
Obtaining Identities
The identities of Puerto Rican U.S. citizens were obtained from individuals in Caguas, Rio Piedras, and San Juan areas.
Soliciting Documents
Buyers contacted brokers in the following locations to purchase these identity documents:
- Indianapolis, Columbus, and Seymour, Indiana
- Aurora, Illinois
- Bartow, Florida
- Lawrenceville, Jonesboro, and Norcross, Georgia
- Salisbury, Maryland
- Columbus, Ohio
- Lawrence and Springfield, Massachusetts
- Grand Rapids, Michigan
- Philadelphia
- Houston
- Guymon, Oklahoma
- Huron, South Dakota
- Albertville, Alabama
Coded Communications
Identity brokers used coded language when communicating over the phone to place orders or discuss transactions, such as “shirts,” “uniforms,” or “clothes” to refer to identity documents. Payments were made through money transfer services.
Using Obtained Identities
Customers typically used the obtained identity documents to assume the identity of Puerto Rican U.S. citizens and to obtain additional identification documents like state driver’s licenses or even attempted to obtain US passports. Some customers aimed to commit financial fraud.
Collaborating Agencies
Operation Island Express II was led by HSI Chicago in collaboration with USPIS, DSS, and IRS-CID offices in Chicago and HSI San Juan. The Illinois Secretary of State Police also provided substantial assistance. Additionally, assistance was provided by the HSI Assistant Attaché office in the Dominican Republic, the National Drug Intelligence Center, Document and Media Exploitation Branch, and the International Organized Crime Intelligence and Operations Center.
Charges and Encouragement for Information
The accused are facing multiple counts of identity trafficking. Anyone with related information is encouraged to contact the ICE tip line and IRS-CID online tip form.
Important Note
An indictment is a formal accusation, and defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.