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In Miami, identify theft starts young. Brothers Stanley and Steven Fertil, now just 20 and 19 and who started an ID theft ring more than two years ago, have been sentenced to nine and 12 years in prison respectively.
Authorities were tipped off the ring back in November 2012 when a victim reported that someone had filed a fraudulent unemployment claim on their behalf. The IP address from where the claim was filed was traced back the brothers’ home at 460 NW 92nd St. in Miami.
Authorities received a search warrant nearly a year later and at the home found the identification information of more than 250 victims. Debit cards providing unemployment insurance benefits were also found. The investigation also found that the brothers were using the stolen information to take money directly out of victims’ bank accounts.
Eventually the Fertils were linked to the theft of more than 600 IDs used to file insurance claims. That’s a pretty big accomplishment for college-aged kids, actually.
Back in July the brothers were indicted on 14 charges of access device fraud, conspiracy to commit access device fraud, and aggravated identity theft.
In addition to jail time, the siblings must also pay back $815,700.
The Fertils are not the only recent example of Miami youth involved in fraud. Back in November, 14 current and former Miami Dade College students were arrested for being part of a tax and financial aid fraud scheme.
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