Identity Thief Stole a Dead Baby’s Life

BOSTON – A brazen act of deception unraveled in a Boston courtroom on March 6, 2015, as Steven Nolte, 51, was found guilty of stealing the very identity of a deceased infant. The former computer industry consultant meticulously crafted a new life for himself using the name of a baby who died in 1966, all while fleeing the consequences of a major theft.

The five-day jury trial revealed Nolte’s elaborate scheme began in 1997. At the time, he was in the midst of pilfering over $571,000 from a real estate company he served as a computer consultant. Rather than face prosecution, Nolte vanished, assuming the identity of a four-day-old infant who had passed away three decades prior. He then secured a passport under this false identity and made his escape to Costa Rica, where the stolen funds had been wired.

For years, Nolte lived a double life, traveling extensively throughout the South Pacific before settling in the Boston area. He continued to work in the computer industry, all under the assumed name, successfully maintaining the facade for over a decade. In 1999, he cemented the lie by fraudulently applying for a Social Security number using the deceased infant’s details. It was a calculated risk, and for a long time, it paid off.

The house of cards began to crumble in May 2012 when Nolte attempted to renew his passport in Boston. State Department officials flagged inconsistencies; the Social Security number Nolte provided hadn’t been issued under the assumed name until he would have been 33 years old – an impossibility. A deeper investigation quickly revealed the truth: the infant whose identity Nolte had stolen died in 1966. Agents pieced together the evidence, ultimately uncovering Nolte’s real identity and the decades-long deception.

Nolte now faces a significant prison sentence. He was convicted of passport fraud, aggravated identity theft, and use of a falsely-obtained Social Security number. The charge of making false statements in a passport application carries a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison and three years of supervised release. Using a false Social Security number could add another five years, and the aggravated identity theft charge carries a mandatory two-year sentence. He remains detained pending sentencing, scheduled for May 28, 2015, and could also face fines of up to $250,000.

The successful prosecution was announced by United States Attorney Carmen M. Ortiz, alongside David W. Hall, Special Agent in Charge of the U.S. Department of State, Bureau of Diplomatic Security, Boston Field Office, and Scott Antolik, Special Agent in Charge of the Social Security Administration, Office of Inspector General, Office of Investigations, Boston Field Division. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Brian Pérez-Daple and Robert E. Richardson of Ortiz’s Major Crimes Unit are handling the case, sending a clear message that identity theft, no matter how meticulously planned, will be pursued and punished.

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