The following article comes courtesy of TheJournalNews.com. We think this is a very good article and it gives a good example of an identity theft case. The article follows:

Tuesday May 6, 2003

7 held in ID theft ring probe

By LESLIE KORNGOLD
THE JOURNAL NEWS
(Original publication: July 9, 2002)

WHITE PLAINS: A Bronx-based identity theft ring that had acquired information on perhaps thousands of consumers from retail outlets in southern Westchester has been broken up with the arrests of seven suspects, the county District Attorney's Office said yesterday.

"This is an enormous case, an enormous ring," District Attorney Jeanine Pirro said during a news conference at the county courthouse in White Plains.

Well over $100,000 in merchandise was purchased from online vendors, including Gateway and Sony, using identifying information from people that was unlawfully obtained from a Hollywood Video store in Mount Vernon, and a CVS in Pelham Manor.

Hundreds, if not thousands, of Hollywood Video rental account applications were found in the possession of some of the seven people arrested since June 5, Pirro said. More stolen information was expected to be found as additional retail locations are identified, she said.

Fifty people reported unauthorized online purchases to Pelham village police alone since the investigation began in November 2001, village police Detective Rick Deer said.

The District Attorney's Office is compiling a list of people from the stolen forms so it can contact credit agencies to determine if they have been victimized. All the specific victims are still unknown.

"People do not even know their names have been used and their credit ruined," Pirro said.

David "Knowledge" Campbell, 47, of Norwalk, Conn., is suspected of being the ringleader. He is accused of having people get jobs in various businesses to gather information on customers and of facilitating the sale of merchandise purchased online with stolen information. Campbell has a criminal record that includes assault and robbery convictions in New York.

Ronald A. Darden, 27, of the Bronx, the former manager of the Hollywood Video store on Sandford Boulevard in Mount Vernon, was accused June 20 of providing identity information from customers.

Hollywood Video is encouraging any customers who fear they may have been victimized to call the Mount Vernon store or call a company hotline at 877-325-8687.

"This was an isolated incident at one store by one employee," said Eric English, a senior vice president for the company, who added that Darden has been fired.

Campbell and Darden were charged with first-degree scheme to defraud, a felony. Bail was set at $100,000 for Campbell; bail information on Darden was unavailable. Both men were being held in the Westchester County jail in Valhalla.

The investigation, which yielded five more arrests, involved Pelham, Pelham Manor, New York City and state police, the U.S. Postal Inspector's Office, the state Attorney General's Office and the Social Security Administration. It resulted in the seizure of a computer system used by the ring, a loaded and defaced firearm, cocaine and marijuana.

Dawn Walker, 27, and Melanie Dickson, 28, both of the Bronx, were arrested at a Bronx apartment on charges of third-degree criminal possession of a weapon, a felony, and fifth-degree criminal possession of marijuana, a misdemeanor.

A 22-year-old man arrested with them was charged with seventh-degree criminal possession of a controlled substance, a misdemeanor.

Electronics Mart, a retail store on Jerome Avenue in the Bronx, was used by the ring to sell the stolen computers, televisions and electronics, Pirro's office said. The store, which has been shut down, is also accused of shipping stolen equipment overseas.

Eid Elayyan, the manager, and Johnny Luna, an employee, were charged in New York City with possessing stolen computer equipment. At least four more arrests are imminent, Deer said yesterday, adding that the CVS in Pelham Manor was cooperating and was still under investigation.

Authorities warned consumers to not give out unnecessary information.

"A driver's license and a Social Security number are not needed to rent a video," Pirro said.

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