Baltimore, Maryland – In a stunning blow to the counterfeit credit card underworld, 54-year-old Michael Crew of Owings Mills was sentenced by U.S. District Judge William D. Quarles, Jr. to nine years in prison followed by three years of supervised release for his role in a massive bank fraud conspiracy and aggravated identity theft.
Crew, the leader of the scheme, pleaded guilty to using stolen credit and debit cards to create counterfeit access devices. These were used for unauthorized purchases, totaling an actual loss of $126,318.99 to victims. The judge also ordered Crew to pay restitution.
United States Attorney for the District of Maryland Rod J. Rosenstein led the plea and sentencing announcement, joined by federal agents and law enforcement leaders from across the region. According to prosecutors, Crew operated an embossing machine in his home, creating credit cards from altered gift cards and stolen account numbers. Co-conspirators used algorithms to generate additional valid card numbers, verifying them through customer service calls.
The plea agreement reveals that Crew’s ring typically sourced shoplifted gift cards to create the counterfeit cards. He directed others on what to purchase, often reselling items like electronics and luxury goods.
On March 12, 2013, a search warrant at Crew’s residence turned up a cache of counterfeit gifts, receipts from purchases made with fake cards, blank plastic cards, computers, cell phones, credit card information notes, and a notebook filled with stolen credit card numbers. The conspiracy spanned from the initial investigation through June 7, 2014, defrauding over 250 individuals and institutions.
Five other defendants have already pleaded guilty for their participation in the ring. This case underscores the Maryland Identity Theft Working Group’s dedication to combating identity theft schemes, collaborating with financial institutions and law enforcement to protect citizens from such crimes.
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Key Facts
- State: Maryland
- Agency: DOJ USAO
- Category: Fraud & Financial Crimes|Organized Crime
- Source: Official Source ↗
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