19 Indicted in Theft of Identities
Federal authorities Thursday indicted 19 people on charges related to a website that investigators claimed was one of the largest online centers for trafficking in stolen identity information and credit cards.
The site, shadowcrew.com, had 4,000 members who dealt with at least 1.7 million stolen credit card numbers and caused more than $4 million in losses, the Justice Department said.
Federal agents gained control of the site during an undercover investigation by the Secret Service and other agencies, Assistant U.S. Atty. Scott S. Christie said.
“It allowed the agents to more closely monitor the criminal conduct that was going on, and also to arrange for undercover purchases of illegal merchandise from various targets,” he said.
The indictment includes charges of conspiracy, trafficking in stolen credit cards and unlawful transfer of identification documents. The penalties range from three years to 15 years in prison.
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