Leader of Counterfeit ID Ring Pleads Guilty

The ringleader of a group that made more than 2 million fake “green cards,” Social Security cards and California IDs--leading to the largest-ever seizure of false immigration documents in U.S. history--has pleaded guilty to conspiracy charges in Los Angeles federal court, it was announced Tuesday.

Juan San German, 31, a Mexican citizen, made the plea on Monday and faces up to 45 years in prison for his role in the illegal operation, the U.S. attorney’s office said.

San German’s defense attorney, Jose Rojo, said his client was involved in the operation, but was not the ringleader.

“He was already in jail when they found the [2 million] documents,” Rojo said. “I don’t see how he could be in charge.”

Sentencing is scheduled Dec. 13 for San German, who was convicted of similar charges in Texas before being sent to Los Angeles.

The plea comes nearly a year after INS agents discovered printing equipment and 120,000 blank false IDs in two apartments on Olympic Boulevard in West Los Angeles. The discovery, made in November 1998, led agents to a storage unit in which they found almost 2 million blank cards.

This haul included more than 1 million green cards, said Assistant U.S. Atty. Susan De Witt. As a comparison, the federal government distributes about 1 million legitimate green cards annually, she added.

“These guys were making the blanks in huge quantities and supplying other organizations around the country,” De Witt said. “They were one of the largest manufacturers and distributors of fake IDs in the country.”

Ten of San German’s co-defendants, all citizens of Mexico, have already pleaded guilty to charges of conspiracy and making or possessing false documents, the U.S. attorney’s office said.

Seven have been sentenced, with terms ranging from 10 months to nearly six years.