A Nigerian couple based in the United States, currently stands accused of credit card fraud running into about $500,000 and risk 50 years jail if convicted.
The couple, Opeyemi Olujobi, and his wife, Jennie Davidson, were arrested by the authorities in Poughkeepsie for alleged involvement in a credit card fraud in New York.
They are expected to appear before a U.S. Magistrate Judge in White Plains, a statement by the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, Jay Clayton said.
According to it, husband and wife are being fingered as part of a conspiracy targeting numerous United States of America citizens through identity theft and account takeovers.
Clayton said that the accused Nigerians allegedly used stolen identities to fraudulently access hundreds of credit card accounts and carried out unauthorised purchases amounting to over $500,000.
They did these using illegally obtained personal details such as Social Security numbers, dates of birth, phone numbers, and addresses to impersonate legitimate account holders.
“From at least May 2023 through October 2024, Olujobi, Davidson, and/or their co-conspirators contacted a publicly traded consumer financial services company and used other people’s names, Social Security numbers, dates of birth, phone numbers, and addresses to falsely identify themselves as the true accountholders of over 200 store credit card accounts”, Clayton said in the statement.
“After gaining access to the cardholders’ accounts, the perpetrators changed the address listed on the account to one of four addresses in Hopewell Junction, New York, including their residence, and also altered victims’ phone numbers to those controlled by members of the scheme.”
They would next declare the cards stolen requesting replacements and delivery of replacement cares to addresses under their control.
They would then use them for multiple purchase of gift cards and other items across numerous retail outlets.
“After they obtained their victims’ credit cards, Olujobi, Davidson, and/or their co-conspirators used those cards at various retail locations to make around $575,000 in unauthorised purchases of gift cards and other merchandise.
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“Video surveillance associated with many of these transactions shows Olujobi and Davidson using the stolen cards,” the statement added.
“Olujobi, 28, and Davidson, 29, are each charged with conspiracy to commit mail fraud, wire fraud, and bank fraud, which carries a maximum sentence of 30 years in prison, among other charges.
“Davidson is also charged with money laundering, which carries a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison.”
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