Qureshi Gets 46 Months in $200M Credit Card Scam

TRENTON, N.J. – Babar Qureshi, 63, of Iselin, New Jersey, is headed to federal prison for nearly four years. U.S. District Judge Anne E. Thompson sentenced Qureshi to 46 months behind bars today for his part in a sprawling, $200 million credit card fraud scheme – one of the largest ever prosecuted by the Department of Justice.

Qureshi pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit bank fraud earlier this year. The scheme, revealed in court documents, involved the creation of over 7,000 fake identities. Conspirators didn’t just steal identities; they built them, crafting fraudulent identification documents and establishing bogus credit profiles with major credit bureaus. The goal wasn’t quick hits, but sustained, large-scale borrowing.

The operation was massive in scope. The network of false identities stretched across the country, maintained through a staggering 1,800 “drop addresses” – houses, apartments, and post office boxes – all serving as mailing addresses for the fabricated personas. This wasn’t some fly-by-night operation; it was a meticulously constructed house of cards designed to funnel illicit funds.

Qureshi’s role was particularly cynical. He took the fraudulently obtained credit cards and racked up massive charges at merchants willing to participate in the scheme, receiving a cut of each purchase. He then laundered the proceeds through phony bank accounts, using the money to pay for personal expenses, including his mortgage. A blatant attempt to live lavishly on stolen funds.

U.S. Attorney Paul J. Fishman praised the collaborative investigation led by the FBI’s Cyber Division, spearheaded by Special Agent in Charge Timothy Gallagher. Crucial support also came from postal inspectors led by Inspector in Charge James V. Buthorn, the U.S. Secret Service’s Newark Field Office under Special Agent in Charge Mark McKevitt, and the U.S. Social Security Administration’s Office of the Inspector General.

Assistant U.S. Attorneys Daniel Shapiro and Deputy Chief Zach Intrater of the Economic Crimes Unit, alongside Sarah Devlin of the Assert Forfeiture and Money Laundering Unit, prosecuted the case. Qureshi was represented by Alexander Spiro Esq. of New York. In addition to the prison sentence, Judge Thompson ordered Qureshi to serve five years of supervised release after his incarceration.