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MD Man Guilty: Identity Theft Ring Raked in $1M
ALBANY, NY – Guy Cuomo, 54, of Frederick, Maryland, is facing a lengthy prison sentence after a jury found him guilty yesterday of orchestrating a complex computer fraud and identity theft scheme that targeted state governments. The operation, which spanned several years, illegally obtained and sold employment information, generating nearly $1 million in illicit profits.
Cuomo, also known as “John Monaco,” was convicted on charges of computer fraud, misuse of a social security number, aggravated identity theft, and related conspiracy charges. The evidence presented during the five-day trial revealed Cuomo’s leadership role within a “boiler room” operation that systematically exploited vulnerabilities in state workforce agency systems. He managed companies, including Paymerica Corporation, owned by Jason “J.R.” Trowbridge, which specialized in uncovering debtors’ employment information – a process known in the debt collection industry as “skiptracing.”
The scheme involved the fraudulent creation of thousands of online unemployment insurance applications using stolen social security numbers and personal identifiers. These applications were meticulously completed to reveal the debtors’ last known places of employment. Paymerica then sold this “place-of-employment” (POE) information for approximately $90 per debtor, amassing a staggering $1 million in sales over three years. According to prosecutors, the ring attempted to obtain information on as many as 200,000 individuals from all 50 states, successfully selling data on at least 12,000 people from 40 states.
“Guy Cuomo and his co-conspirators ran a boiler room for identity theft,” stated United States Attorney Carla B. Freedman. “They used personal identifying information to trick state workforce agencies into disclosing the last known places of employment for thousands of victims.” The operation wasn’t simply opportunistic; it was carefully concealed. Cuomo and his associates utilized Virtual Private Networks (VPNs) to mask their internet activity and evade detection by state agencies and law enforcement.
Jonathan Mellone, Special Agent in Charge of the New York Region for the United States Department of Labor, Office of Inspector General (USDOL-OIG), emphasized the severity of the crime. “As found by the jury, Guy Cuomo worked in concert with his co-conspirators to systemically create unemployment insurance accounts…using the social security numbers and other personal identifiers of unknowing victims.” Mellone added that the guilty verdict serves as a “testament to our office’s unwavering commitment to investigate and bring to justice those who compromise the integrity of the unemployment insurance system.”
Cuomo faces a mandatory two-year prison sentence for the aggravated identity theft charges and up to 20 years on the remaining counts. Sentencing is scheduled for March 16, 2022, before Senior U.S. District Judge Thomas J. McAvoy. His co-defendants have already pleaded guilty and are awaiting sentencing, facing potentially significant prison terms themselves. Details on their specific charges and maximum sentences were not immediately available. This case underscores the growing threat of sophisticated identity theft schemes and the significant financial and personal damage they inflict.
Key Facts
- State: New York
- Agency: DOJ USAO
- Category: Fraud & Financial Crimes
- Source: Official Source ↗
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