Keith JD Offord, Bank Fraud and Aggravated ID Theft, IL 2023

Keith JD Offord, 24, of Carpentersville, Ill., is headed for federal prison after a jury convicted him on all counts of bank fraud and aggravated identity theft following a two-hour deliberation in Springfield, Ill. The verdict, delivered today, marks the end of a years-long scam that saw Offord exploit stolen identities to rip off retailers across Illinois and Missouri.

U.S. District Judge Sue E. Myerscough presided over the trial, which began Feb. 6, 2018. Prosecutors laid out a methodical scheme: from December 2013 to August 2015, Offord fabricated false identification using real people’s personal information, embedding photos of a co-conspirator to pass as legitimate customers. Armed with these fake IDs, the pair walked into stores and opened credit accounts under false pretenses.

The fraud hit multiple Springfield-area retailers hard—Bergner’s lost approximately $2,500, GameStop was defrauded of $1,500, and Sam’s Club lost $2,170. Offord didn’t stop there. In July and August 2015, he crossed state lines, pulling the same scam at stores in the St. Louis, Mo., area, racking up thousands more in stolen goods and gift cards.

Investigators say Offord wasn’t working alone. He brought a co-schemer into the operation, using their face on forged documents while he manipulated the system from behind the scenes. The pair posed as legitimate shoppers, exploited customer trust, and walked out with high-value merchandise funded by lies and stolen data.

The Illinois State Police led the investigation, unraveling a paper trail of phony IDs and fraudulent applications. At trial, Assistant U.S. Attorneys Gregory M. Gilmore and Matthew Z. Weir presented evidence that left little doubt about Offord’s role. The jury didn’t hesitate—guilty on all counts.

Offord now faces up to 30 years in federal prison for bank fraud, plus a mandatory two-year sentence for each of three counts of aggravated identity theft—time that must be served consecutively. Sentencing is scheduled for June 18, 2018. When the gavel drops, Offord will pay for a crime spree built on stolen names and shattered trust.

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