Carder.su ID Theft Ring Busted; Feds Arrest 19 In 9 States

LAS VEGAS -- Nineteen people were arrested in Nevada and eight other states in a Las Vegas-based identity theft and trafficking ring that a federal prosecutor characterized as a sophisticated racketeering organization involving 50 people nationwide.

The scheme revolved around the buying and selling of pilfered debit and credit card information on an Internet site called "Carder.su," U.S. Attorney Daniel Bogden said Friday in Las Vegas.

"The extent of the theft and sale of personal information uncovered by this investigation is astonishing," Bogden said in a statement dubbing the case "Operation Open Market."

Secret Service and U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement homeland security agents arrested five people Thursday in Las Vegas and 14 more in California, Florida, New York, Georgia, Michigan, New Jersey, Ohio, and West Virginia, according to the statement. Court appearance information was not made public.

Bogden said more arrests were expected as federal agents locate defendants named in three sealed indictments handed up by a federal grand jury in Las Vegas on Jan. 10 and on Tuesday.

The court documents were unavailable Friday. The statement said charges include conspiracy, racketeering and production and trafficking in false identification documents and access device cards.

Members of the ring allegedly traded counterfeit documents and stolen bank account information on organization websites.

Leaders of the organization allegedly tested and provided reviews of services including money laundering, and products like fake identification documents and stolen credit card account data lists from Europe, the Middle East, Asia and the U.S.

Site users tried to protect their anonymity and prevent detection, but ICE Homeland Security Investigations official James Dinkins said the case showed that cyberspace was "not a refuge from justice."

Defendants' hometowns included: Las Vegas; Miami; Detroit; San Francisco; New York City; San Diego; Sacramento, Calif.; Morgantown, W.Va.; Newark, N.J.; Augusta, Ga.; Orlando, Fla.; Springfield, Mo.; and Warren, Ohio.

Court appearance information was not immediately made public.

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Comments

[jcd8822]

09:53 PM on 03/19/2012

Since they stole from innocent people they should be executed, no excuses.

[ActaNonVerbaNow]

10:08 PM on 03/18/2012

I'm not trying to be a little tree-hugger here (cause I'm not). But, this crime reminds me (in quality not degree of seriousness) of irresponsible bomb dropping form high altitudes. You're causing carnage but it doesn't seem so bad since you can't see your victims.

[SendthemBack]

07:45 PM on 03/18/2012

Amazing how the documents are sealed! It couldn't have been Illegal Mexicans' could it? They wouldn't want to release that information. The American public might demand illegals all be sent back to the cesspool they were created from and all the politicians and corporate big wigs might lose the practically free labor of Mexicans' well the American Taxpayer pays for them to live here!

[JavaSavant]

08:42 PM on 03/18/2012

Sealed! Astonishing! It couldn't possibly have anything to do with some of the defendants still at large.

I think it was illegal Martians! They should be taxed for every anal probe!

[WeAreSoDoomed]

12:02 AM on 03/19/2012

Yeah, and Legal Americans NEVER commit crimes...

[vinnieboiblue]

03:49 PM on 03/18/2012

These people should be put to death. For they are destroying innocent people financially and personally. They don't deserve one iota of sympathy.

[GeorgiaModerate]

12:02 PM on 03/18/2012

Every little bit helps I guess.

My ID was lifted(name and social) and used to get Direct TV. Of course the loser never paid and the billing department from Direct TV started calling me. They investigated and I was not found liable. Fortunately this never made it on my credit. I asked if they were planning to prosecute and they said no. They couldn't prove the person who ordered it was the person at the address it was installed. Kinda hard for me to really do much since it was so far away.

The same happened with my AMEX. Someone ordered some things on line and shipped it to St. Louis. AMEX flagged it and the card was canceled quickly. Once again they didn't pursue it.

This is why ID Theft is so rampant. So few seem to get caught and charged.

[MyTake]

11:36 AM on 03/18/2012

Ah, were Eric Schmidt and The Zucker amongst those arrested!

These pair steal and sell your identities at will, through third party ID traffickers, of course, called the NSA and CIA!

[viper1ex19]

11:14 AM on 03/18/2012

I wonder how many people that read this story tried to access that site to see what it was all about?

Just remember; Curiosity Killed the Cat

[BannedInBoston]

02:02 PM on 03/18/2012

Or at least stole the cat's identity....

[hfpoo]

10:44 AM on 03/18/2012

Catching these guys is a step in the right direction. However, giving them more than 30 days and telling them they can't use computers every again isn't going to undo the damage they've done. Once your information is out there in the vast internet wasteland there is no way to pull it back.

People who do this should be hung by their wrists from a tree like a piñata, and every one of their victimes allowed to take one swing with a bat at them.

[born 2b different]

12:02 PM on 03/18/2012

Where are you from, Saudi Arabia?

[BobWills]

02:51 AM on 03/19/2012

Texas. same, same.

[Missionary Position]

03:56 PM on 03/18/2012

Excellent idea! A punishment the offenders might actually understand. Let's put it on the books.

[NOCELL]

10:53 PM on 03/17/2012

Congratulations for the Feds.....however, it still won't help anyone whose credit has been ruined by some of this identity theft....It took the thieves just a few clicks to take the information but it takes the victim a LIFETIME to get it repaired....Wheres the justice in that I ask???

[WinslowWong]

06:38 AM on 03/18/2012

I would propose that the offending credit institutions who were first so easily violated, be held liable in both criminal and civil courts if complete reparations are not made in a timely fashion. I fail to see how second party continuation of the original crime is deemed legal. Wait, allow me to reposition; I understand fully how, just not the logic that permits it.

[BobWills]

02:53 AM on 03/19/2012

I've had my bank account drained 4 times. twice by unknown foreigners and twice by Mellon Bank.