Fresno, CA – In a stunning turn of events, a former U.S. Navy Sailor has pleaded guilty to credit card fraud and identity theft charges in a California court.
Jarrod M. Langford, 26, of Orlando, Florida, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit credit card fraud and aggravated identity theft, U.S. Attorney McGregor W. Scott announced.
According to court documents, Langford conspired with others to fraudulently acquire and use credit card account numbers to purchase and resell over the internet voucher codes that were redeemable for consumer items such as wristwatches, jewelry, computer software applications and electronic devices.
Langford used various methods to fraudulently acquire other peoples’ credit card information, including purchasing the information over the internet. In September 2012, Langford fraudulently possessed more than 2,500 records of credit card account numbers and the associated account holders’ personal identifying information, such as names, addresses, telephone numbers, and email addresses.
To hide his actual location and conceal his involvement in his fraudulent activities, Langford installed an application on his computers that would establish a virtual private network (VPN) in order to conduct anonymous encrypted internet sessions and give the appearance that he was located outside of California.
Langford is scheduled to be sentenced by U.S. District Judge Dale A. Drozd on September 9, 2018. Langford faces a maximum statutory penalty of five years in prison for the conspiracy charge, an additional two years in prison for the aggravated identity theft charge, and a $250,000 fine.
In his plea agreement, Langford admitted to fraudulently purchasing approximately $340,000 of consumer products and unauthorized voucher codes redeemable for such items.
This case is the product of an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Christopher D. Baker is prosecuting the case.
Key Facts
- State: California
- Category: Fraud & Financial Crimes
- Source: DOJ Press Release â†â€â€
ðŸâ€Â’ Get the grimiest stories delivered weekly. Subscribe free →
