The final of 5 Brazilian nationals charged by San Diego federal prosecutors for working a nationwide scheme that concerned stealing the identities of rideshare and meals supply app clients has pleaded responsible, the U.S. Attorney’s Office mentioned Wednesday.
Prosecutors say that over the course of three years, the group stole info from victims’ driver’s licenses and Social Security numbers, used that data to create driver accounts for rideshare and supply firms, then used, rented or offered these accounts, together with to individuals who in any other case wouldn’t qualify to drive for the businesses.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office says the defendants acquired funds from the businesses and laundered the proceeds of the scheme, which started in 2018.
When the COVID-19 pandemic started in 2020, the defendants shifted away from rideshare firms when demand for these providers decreased and moved largely to meals supply providers, which have been way more profitable in the course of the pandemic.
Prosecutors say that in addition to defrauding the app-based firms, the defendants additionally stole and used the identities of practically 100 individuals. The U.S. Attorney’s Office didn’t establish which firms have been utilized in the alleged scheme.
Gustavo De Avila Moreira Farinha, 30; Tatiane Pereira Arantes, 38; Natalia Magalhaes Rocha, 30; Leonardo Trulsen De Oliveira, 30, and Thassya Da Silva Alves, 30, have been charged final 12 months and have since pleaded responsible to conspiracy and aggravated id theft counts.
“As of today, all five defendants in this case have admitted their elaborate scheme to steal the identities of hundreds of unsuspecting victims, many of whom turned to food delivery services to survive the pandemic,” U.S. Attorney Randy Grossman mentioned. “Identity theft can be a nightmare of frustration and angst for victims who struggle to reclaim their good names. These defendants are the ones struggling now.”
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