SPRINGFIELD, Ill. – A Carpentersville, Ill., man, Keith JD Offord, 23, has been indicted on fraud charges that allege he used others’ identities to create fraudulent credit accounts that resulted in a loss of more than $500,000 from December 2013 to August 2015. Offord made his initial appearance in federal court yesterday before U.S. Magistrate Judge Tom Schanzle-Haskins. A detention hearing for Offord is scheduled on Feb. 17. Trial has been set for April 4, 2017, before U.S. District Judge Sue E. Myerscough.
The indictment alleges that during the time of the alleged scheme, Offord created false identification documents using others’ personal identifying information. Offord then allegedly added photographs of a co-schemer to the fraudulent IDs. Offord allegedly took the co-schemer to various retail businesses where Offord instructed the individual to obtain a credit account and credit card, and to use the credit to purchase merchandise and gift cards.
According to the indictment, Offord and his co-schemers conducted more than 260 fraudulent transactions which caused banks to issued credit cards and resulted in a loss of more than $500,000. As part of the fraud scheme, Offord allegedly defrauded several Springfield area retail stores as well as stores in the St. Louis, Mo., area in July and August 2015. Offord is also charged with possession of 15 or more counterfeit credit cards in August 2015 and with four counts of aggravated identity theft related to his alleged use of another person’s identifying information.
The charges are the result of an investigation by Illinois State Police. Assistant U.S. Attorney Gregory M. Gilmore is prosecuting the case.
If convicted, the maximum statutory penalty for each offense charged is prescribed by Congress and is provided here for informational purposes, as sentencing is determined by the court based on the advisory Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. For the offense of bank fraud, the statutory penalty is up to 30 years in prison; for access device fraud, up to 10 years in prison, and for aggravated identity theft (four counts), the penalty is a mandatory two-year prison term to be served consecutive to the sentence ordered for the related fraud offense.
Members of the public are reminded that an indictment is merely an accusation; the defendant is presumed innocent unless proven guilty