Michael O’Brien, Jr., Wire Fraud, California 2024

A Massachusetts man has been sentenced to five years in prison for a massive retail theft scheme that affected Target stores across the United States, including in California. Michael O’Brien, Jr., 32, of Worcester, Mass., was sentenced to 60 months in prison for crimes related to fraud, announced United States Attorney Ismail J. Ramsey and United States Secret Service (USSS) Special Agent in Charge Shawn M. Bradstreet.

The sentence was imposed by the Honorable Beth Labson Freeman, United States District Judge. O’Brien pleaded guilty on Apr. 25, 2024, to one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 1349, and five counts of wire fraud, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 1343. A grand jury indicted O’Brien on Aug. 3, 2023.

According to court documents, from May 22, 2018 to about Oct. 23, 2018, O’Brien conspired with others to defraud the Target Corporation (Target). O’Brien, who served as the leader of the conspiracy, purchased gift cards from Target, stole the gift card codes, and then sold the codes online. After O’Brien sold the codes, he and others returned the gift cards for a full refund.

O’Brien’s scheme was far reaching, affecting Target stores in California and 35 other states. O’Brien’s scheme involved thousands of gift cards resulting in the theft of at least $508,000. Judge Freeman ordered O’Brien to repay Target $508,000 in restitution. In his plea agreement, O’Brien admitted that the scheme’s intended loss was $1,077,100.

In addition to the prison term, Judge Freeman ordered O’Brien to serve three years of supervised release to begin after his prison term is completed. Assistant United States Attorneys Neal C. Hong and E. Wistar Wilson prosecuted the case. The prosecution is the result of an investigation by USSS and Homeland Security Investigations. The U.S. Attorney’s Office and USSS appreciate the assistance of Target’s Field Investigations Team.

Target, one of the largest retailers in the United States, suffered significant losses as a result of O’Brien’s scheme. The company’s Field Investigations Team worked closely with law enforcement to bring O’Brien to justice. O’Brien’s sentence serves as a reminder of the importance of holding individuals accountable for their crimes.

In related news, Target has increased security measures at its stores to prevent similar schemes in the future. The company has also implemented new protocols for the sale and redemption of gift cards.

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