COLUMBIA, MD – A brazen scheme to defraud AT&T and its customers into financing high-end Apple iPhones has landed 30-year-old Toni Ann Bobet, of New York, New York, a four-year federal prison sentence. The sentencing, announced April 12, 2019, follows Bobet’s guilty plea just days before a scheduled trial, exposing a carefully constructed operation built on stolen identities and financial trickery.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Maryland, alongside the U.S. Secret Service and Montgomery County Police, detailed how Bobet recruited co-defendants Celeste Nyleen Carmona, 23, also of New York, New York, and Alonia Perkins into a conspiracy dating back to July 2015. The trio systematically targeted AT&T customers, exploiting stolen account information and upgrade eligibility to illegally obtain the iPhones.
🔍 Search Public Records
Look up criminal records, arrest reports, and background checks for anyone.
The operation involved a disturbing level of preparation. In May 2016, Bobet drove Carmona and Perkins from New York City to Apple Stores across Maryland and elsewhere. Armed with fraudulent identification cards – bearing the stolen personal information of AT&T customers but displaying the photos of Carmona and Perkins – and counterfeit credit/debit cards, they posed as legitimate account holders. One stop at The Mall in Columbia saw Carmona and Perkins successfully purchase iPhones using victim accounts. Another at Westfield Montgomery Mall in Bethesda yielded two more iPhones, while a fourth attempt was thwarted by a $100 past due balance.
Law enforcement intervened at Westfield Montgomery Mall, intercepting Bobet as she attempted to flee. A search of her vehicle revealed a treasure trove of incriminating evidence: two cell phones packed with AT&T account and personal identifying information of at least 20 individuals, a laptop, a tablet, the fraudulent IDs and cards, and a black duffle bag stuffed with the four fraudulently obtained Apple iPhones. The stolen information wasn’t limited to quick purchases. Records show Perkins’ name was fraudulently added to four AT&T accounts in Florida, and financed at least six iPhones. Carmona’s name, or variations of it, appeared on 24 victim accounts, resulting in the financing of at least 46 iPhones.
The Secret Service investigation revealed the scope of the damage. Bobet acted as the driver and coordinator, supplying the fraudulent materials and ferrying her accomplices. While Perkins and Carmona physically entered the Apple Stores, Bobet remained in the vehicle, overseeing the operation. This wasn’t a spur-of-the-moment crime; it was a calculated, organized effort to exploit vulnerable individuals and profit from their stolen identities.
With Bobet now facing four years behind bars, the case serves as a stark warning: identity theft and financial fraud carry severe consequences. The U.S. Attorney’s Office and the Secret Service are committed to dismantling these schemes and bringing perpetrators to justice, protecting consumers and ensuring the integrity of the financial system. The investigation is ongoing and further charges against the co-defendants are possible.
Related Federal Cases
- Richard Shusterman, Wire Fraud Conspiracy, Maryland 2024 · Pennsylvania
- Rodney Burton, Wire-Fraud Conspiracy, Maryland 2024 · Pennsylvania
- Bruce Kane, Multi-Million Dollar Investment Fraud, New York 2024 · Maryland
- Abdhullah Hamidullah, Sex Trafficking by Force, Fraud, and Coercion… · Georgia
- Devan Abrams, Credit Card Processing Fraud, NY 2024 · Pennsylvania
Key Facts
- Agency: U.S. Secret Service
- Category: Fraud & Financial Crimes
- Source: Official Press Release
Get the grimiest stories delivered weekly. Subscribe free
Browse More
Related Criminal Cases in US News
- Candies Goode-McCoy, COVID-19 Tax Credit Scheme, Nevada 2026
- Marco Tulio Lopez-Romero, Homicide, Reston VA, 2026
- Little Tiger, Wire Fraud, California 2023
MORE FEDERAL CRIME NEWS
US NewsUS NewsUS NewsUS News