WOODMERE, OH – Charles E. Smith, Jr., 52, the former Mayor of Woodmere, Ohio, is headed to federal prison after admitting to a brazen scheme to defraud banks and credit card holders. Smith was sentenced today to 33 months behind bars and ordered to pay $10,621.23 in restitution for using stolen financial information to purchase gasoline.
Court documents reveal Smith wasn’t just an occasional thief. From May 2019 through May 2020, he actively purchased stolen credit and debit card account information – account numbers and addresses – directly from the dark web. This wasn’t a simple one-off purchase; Smith systematically built a stockpile of stolen identities.
Armed with this illicit data, Smith employed a credit card reader encoder/writer to program the stolen information onto blank cards. These counterfeit cards were then used to fuel his side hustle: delivering packages for Amazon. He hit gas stations across Northern Ohio, racking up charges while seemingly operating under the radar – until investigators began to connect the dots.
The total damage? At least $10,621.23 in fraudulent gasoline purchases, charged across over 100 stolen debit and credit card accounts. But the scope of Smith’s operation went far beyond what was initially apparent. After his arrest, investigators uncovered evidence that he’d purchased more than 600 stolen accounts from the dark web, impacting victims in a staggering 25 states. A former public official exploiting a nationwide network of stolen data for personal gain.
Smith pleaded guilty on May 19, 2022, to one count of access device fraud and one count of aggravated identity theft, effectively ending the charade. U.S. District Judge Christopher A. Boyko handed down the 33-month sentence, sending a message that even those in positions of trust will be held accountable for exploiting the financial system.
The case was spearheaded by the U.S. Secret Service, with Assistant U.S. Attorney Payum Doroodian leading the prosecution. This investigation highlights the growing threat of dark web marketplaces and the ease with which stolen financial information can be obtained and exploited, even by individuals holding positions of public trust. The Grimy Times will continue to follow this case and report on similar financial crimes as they unfold.
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Key Facts
- Agency: U.S. Secret Service
- Category: Fraud & Financial Crimes
- Source: Official Press Release
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