Sacramento man gets 4 years in prison for ‘intricate’ $500,000 identity theft scheme
A Sacramento man was sentenced this week after being convicted in federal court for a complicated, two-year identity theft scheme that defrauded victims of hundreds of thousands of dollars.
Ahmad Nassar, 33, received a sentence of four years in prison for aggravated identity theft, possessing a firearm as a felon and “access device fraud,” U.S. Attorney McGregor Scott announced Monday in a U.S. Department of Justice news release.
In May 2017, federal agents executed search warrants at two of Nassar’s Sacramento properties, according to court documents. Agents discovered and seized at least 55 electronic devices, including computers, phones and a device called a CelleBrite, which is “commonly used by law enforcement to conduct forensic examinations of cellphones,” the news release said. The devices were used to gain unauthorized access into bank accounts.
Feds also located “numerous boxes” of state and federal ID cards in other people’s names, credit cards, debit cards, stolen mail and a .22-caliber handgun tucked under a pillow, according to court documents.
“Nassar used intricate techniques to obtain victims’ personal identifying and financial information, including online account takeovers that continued even after search warrants were executed on his properties,” the news release continued.
Nassar’s identity theft resulted in losses of at least $558,276, the Department of Justice said.
An investigation determined the scheme took place between August 2015 and June 2017. The case was investigated by the FBI and Sacramento County.
