Craig Alexander, 31, of Brooklyn, is headed to federal prison for 64 months after a ruthless identity theft and credit card fraud spree that spanned Central New York and the Turning Stone Resort and Casino in Verona. The sentence, handed down today in Syracuse, marks the end of a years-long scam that left at least 29 victims with stolen personal data and shattered credit.
A federal jury found Alexander guilty on all counts June 22, 2016, following a three-day trial that peeled back layers of deception. Prosecutors proved he assumed the identity of a man who lost his wallet in a New York City park, then weaponized the stolen data to create counterfeit credit cards. Those cards were loaded with bank details from at least 28 other individuals whose identities had been compromised, allowing Alexander to go on a high-end shopping binge.
In Utica and at the Verona casino, Alexander used the fake cards to purchase luxury electronics, including iPads, and to extract cash advances from unsuspecting merchants. His crime spree wasn’t random—it was calculated, exploiting gaps in retail verification and cashing in on other people’s lives. Each transaction chipped away at victims’ financial stability, leaving behind a trail of ruined credit and emotional wreckage.
U.S. Attorney Richard S. Hartunian didn’t mince words: “Identity theft and credit card fraud cost financial institutions and individuals billions of dollars every year and cause irreparable harm to individuals whose credit is left in tatters. Too many of our citizens suffer at the hands of these criminals, who use the victim’s good name to steal, and my office will continue to prosecute these cases aggressively.”
The investigation was a joint operation involving the U.S. Secret Service, New York State Police Troop D, Utica Police Department, and Oneida Indian Nation Police. Resident Agent in Charge Tim Kirk emphasized the collaboration: “This verdict represents the culmination of an investigation that required the cooperation of multiple agencies. Each was integral to building the case, and ultimately securing a conviction.”
U.S. District Judge Glenn T. Suddaby also slapped Alexander with 3 years of post-imprisonment supervised release. The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Emmet O’Hanlon and Ransom Reynolds, who fought to hold Alexander accountable for violating not just the law—but the trust of dozens of innocent Americans.
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Key Facts
- State: New York
- Agency: DOJ USAO
- Category: Fraud & Financial Crimes
- Source: Official Source ↗
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