FIVE IN IDENTITY THEFT RING CAPTURED

Summary of Investigation:

(Photos: left - ring leader, right - one of four accomplices)

(Names Withheld Pending Conviction)

Five individuals believed to have been flown to Chicago by an identity theft ring leader opened multiple checking accounts using assumed business names along with stolen identities from California residents. Virtual office suites were opened in January 2006 in the Chicago area. At the same time these individuals began opening business checking accounts all within days of each other at different branches. Each account was opened with $100 cash. The suspects waited over 30 days then began depositing counterfeit checks into these accounts and withdrawing cash.

To date approximately $160,000.00 of losses can be attributed to this group in the Chicago area. In February of this year the group leader and part of this group flew to Nashville, TN and began opening accounts to perpetrate the same scheme in the Nashville area before local Police intervened. Investigators have advised this crew has also been very active in the Los Angeles area perpetrating similar types of fraud.

On 06/11/2006 Detectives from the Naperville Police Department flew to Los Angeles California with arrests warrants for four of the suspects.. All four subjects were taken into custody and interviewed on June 12th and 13th. All four subjects implicated the (Name Withheld) as the leader of this group. On the evening of June 13th the leader of the group was taken into custody with the assistance of the U.S. Marshals Service in Anaheim California. Earlier in the day the DuPage County State's Attorney's Office had approved felony charges against the leader for his involvement in this scheme.