Detroit Citizen Charged for selling identities on the darknet

10/12/2022Cybercrime, USA

Authorities claim that a man from Detroit bought thousands of stolen identities over the dark web and used them to obtain free government cell phones that he later sold for a profit.

According to a press statement from the Michigan Department of Attorney General, the fraud cost the state of Michigan approximately $11 million in payments, which were later recovered.

The accusation against Dewan Anton Williams, a 47-year-old Detroit resident, is that he obtained the social security numbers of victims of identity theft from dark web sited such as Vice City Market and Picasso Documents and then used them to submit nearly 3,000 false Medicaid applications for free government cell phones. Williams is accused of activating the phones after receiving them before selling them.

Williams’ residence yielded roughly 150 brand-new, fully assembled Safelink Wireless phones in addition to the personal data of about 7,000 victims of identity theft. The state lost around $11 million as a result of the filing of these false applications. The state recovered the cash after closing the fake accounts.

Williams was charged last week in 36th District Court with running criminal enterprises, a 20-year felony punishable by up to $100,000; three counts of identity theft punishable by up to $25,000 in fines; three counts of using a computer to commit a crime punishable by up to $5,000 in fines; and three counts of welfare fraud exceeding $500. Williams plead was not guilty.

Williams was freed on a personal recognizance bond of $100,000. His preliminary examination is set for Tuesday, Nov. 1 at 9 a.m. after his probable cause conference on Wednesday, Oct.

The case was looked into by the attorney general’s office, the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General, and the Michigan Department of Attorney General.

In a statement, AG Dana Nessel said: “The threat of identity theft is real, and I urge Michigan residents to become informed and safeguard themselves against possible victimization.”