Anthony Hardy, Wire Fraud, Identity Theft, Illinois 2013

A Rockford man was sentenced to 65 months in federal prison for his role in a wire fraud scheme that spanned multiple states.

Anthony Hardy, 42, was sentenced on February 19, 2013 by U.S. District Judge Frederick J. Kapala for wire fraud and identity theft.

According to court documents, Hardy defrauded large retail chain stores by fraudulently acquiring tens of thousands of dollars of merchandise and returning the items for cash. He and other individuals created and used counterfeit checks and identifications to purchase merchandise from stores such as Wal-Mart and Farm and Fleet.

Hardy admitted in a written plea agreement that he knew at the time that some of the names and addresses on the checks and identification he used were fictitious and some were real. He also admitted to unlawfully possessing and using the Social Security Number of another person as part of his fraud scheme.

Three other individuals have been charged in a separate indictment for their roles in the wire fraud scheme with Hardy: William Dorn, 24, and Cameron Love, 28, both of Rockford, Ill., and Anthony Taylor, 44, of Marietta, Ga. Each of whom have pled guilty to one count of wire fraud.

The sentencing was announced by Gary S. Shapiro, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois, and Pete Zegarac, Postal Inspector-in-Charge of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service in Chicago. The Rockford Police Department and Freeport Police Department assisted in the investigation.

The government was represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael D. Love.

Hardy was ordered to pay restitution of $212,625.13 and will serve 5 years of supervised release following his release from prison.

Hardy’s scheme involved purchasing merchandise from large chain stores and returning the items for cash. He and other individuals created and used counterfeit checks and identifications to purchase merchandise.

Hardy’s sentence is a result of his guilty plea to wire fraud and identity theft. The case was investigated by the Rockford Police Department and Freeport Police Department, with assistance from the U.S. Postal Inspection Service.

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