Murray Gets 7 Years for Credit Card Forgery Ring

NEWPORT NEWS, VA – Eric Charles Murray, 32, of Hampton, Virginia, is headed to federal prison for nearly eight years after running a brazen credit card forgery operation out of his home. Murray was sentenced today to 88 months for conspiracy to commit bank, mail, and wire fraud, aggravated identity theft, and illegally possessing a firearm as a convicted felon.

The scheme, uncovered in 2016, saw Murray establishing a high-tech lab dedicated to manufacturing counterfeit credit and debit cards. He scoured the dark web, using Bitcoin to purchase stolen card information belonging to unsuspecting Virginia residents. The stolen data was then imprinted onto newly forged cards, re-embossed with Murray’s name and those of his accomplices. It wasn’t about small purchases; the crew targeted high-end electronics and cigarettes, quickly flipping the stolen goods for cash across Hampton Roads and as far north as New York state.

The operation began to unravel when two cardholders reported unauthorized charges to the Newport News Police Department. Investigators quickly zeroed in on Murray after surveillance footage captured him making purchases with the counterfeit cards at multiple retail locations. A subsequent raid on Murray’s Hampton residence in May 2016 yielded a treasure trove of illegal materials: equipment used to manufacture the cards, a staggering 115 counterfeit cards, and a laptop containing 233 stolen credit card numbers. The search also uncovered two handguns, one of which had been previously reported stolen.

Adding insult to injury, Murray wasn’t just a forger; he was a convicted felon with no legal right to possess firearms. And even after his arrest, he reportedly attempted to obstruct justice, aggressively pressuring another individual to falsely claim ownership of the guns found in his home. This blatant disregard for the law further cemented his fate.

The collaborative investigation was led by Dana J. Boente, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia, alongside Joseph W. Cronin of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, Michael B. Boxler of the ATF’s Washington Field Division, and the Chiefs of both Newport News and Hampton Police Divisions. The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Kaitlin C. Gratton and Amy E. Cross, who presented the evidence before Senior U.S. District Judge Robert G. Doumar.

Murray will also serve five years of supervised release following his prison sentence, during which time any computers he uses will be subject to monitoring. This case serves as a stark reminder that the dark web isn’t a haven for criminals, and those who exploit stolen financial information will face serious consequences. Court documents related to Case No. 4:16-cr-64 are available on PACER and the websites of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia and the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia.

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