Attorney General Josh Shapiro announced on Monday the arrests of seven individuals in Dauphin County for orchestrating a widespread credit card fraud scheme that defrauded individuals out of more than $100,000.
The fraudulent charges were made in counties across Pennsylvania and the victims reside in states across the country. The charges are a result of a Statewide Grand Jury investigation.
The Grand Jury found that the scheme was operated by two different groups—one led by Rahsean Jackson and one led by Jaleel Geddes-Kelly. Both groups used Capital One credit cards associated with actual Capital One customers whose identities and credit card information had been stolen. The cards had the names of the scammers on them, but the information contained in the magnetic strip belonged to the victims. The defendants, who were referred to as “swipers,” would swipe the credit cards in order to bypass the security of the cards’ chips. The swipers made unauthorized purchases of Visa gift cards at supermarkets across Pennsylvania. The gift cards were often then turned into money orders.
“The Office of Attorney General’s Criminal Prosecutions Section has successfully shut down a corrupt organization that was stealing the identities of individuals across the country and defrauding victims, including many seniors,” said Attorney General Josh Shapiro. “I’m grateful for the hard work of the Statewide Investigating Grand Jury, the Pennsylvania State Police, and Office of Attorney General agents to hold these scammers accountable and achieve justice for their victims.”
The Jackson group used the stolen cards to make unauthorized purchases in the amount of $31,899.91 at GIANT food stores and $29,794.99 at Weis Markets, for a total of $61,694.90. The actual card owners were from Pennsylvania, Connecticut, Ohio, Oklahoma, Illinois, North Carolina, New Jersey, Virginia, Maryland, Colorado, Kansas, Washington DC, Texas, Iowa, Massachusetts, and California. Many of the victims were over 60 years of age. One of the victims was a 74-year-old individual whose credit card was used to make $4,567.71 in purchases in one day.
The Geddes-Kelly group made transactions only at GIANT food stores in the amount of $53,198.32. Once again, the credit information belonged to Capital One customers in not only Pennsylvania, but also Arizona, Maine, Idaho, New York, Ohio, Delaware, Illinois, Florida, Connecticut, New Jersey, and Colorado. As with the first group, many of the victims were over 60, with several in their 70s, the eldest being 87 years of age.
The transactions occurred in Berks, Bucks, Carbon, Centre, Columbia, Cumberland, Dauphin, Lancaster, Lebanon, Lehigh, Luzerne, Lycoming, Monroe, Montgomery, Montour, Mifflin, Northampton, Northumberland, Schuylkill, Snyder, Union, and York Counties.
The charges include Corrupt Organizations, Dealing in Proceeds of Unlawful Activity, and Identity Theft, among related charges. The case is being prosecuted by Deputy Attorney General Megan Madaffari. Those charged include:
Jackson Group
The Grand Jury found that the scheme was operated by two different groups—one led by Rahsean Jackson and one led by Jaleel Geddes-Kelly. Both groups used Capital One credit cards associated with actual Capital One customers whose identities and credit card information had been stolen. The cards had the names of the scammers on them, but the information contained in the magnetic strip belonged to the victims. The defendants, who were referred to as “swipers,” would swipe the credit cards in order to bypass the security of the cards’ chips. The swipers made unauthorized purchases of Visa gift cards at supermarkets across Pennsylvania. The gift cards were often then turned into money orders.
“The Office of Attorney General’s Criminal Prosecutions Section has successfully shut down a corrupt organization that was stealing the identities of individuals across the country and defrauding victims, including many seniors,” said Attorney General Josh Shapiro. “I’m grateful for the hard work of the Statewide Investigating Grand Jury, the Pennsylvania State Police, and Office of Attorney General agents to hold these scammers accountable and achieve justice for their victims.”
The Jackson group used the stolen cards to make unauthorized purchases in the amount of $31,899.91 at GIANT food stores and $29,794.99 at Weis Markets, for a total of $61,694.90. The actual card owners were from Pennsylvania, Connecticut, Ohio, Oklahoma, Illinois, North Carolina, New Jersey, Virginia, Maryland, Colorado, Kansas, Washington DC, Texas, Iowa, Massachusetts, and California. Many of the victims were over 60 years of age. One of the victims was a 74-year-old individual whose credit card was used to make $4,567.71 in purchases in one day.
The Geddes-Kelly group made transactions only at GIANT food stores in the amount of $53,198.32. Once again, the credit information belonged to Capital One customers in not only Pennsylvania, but also Arizona, Maine, Idaho, New York, Ohio, Delaware, Illinois, Florida, Connecticut, New Jersey, and Colorado. As with the first group, many of the victims were over 60, with several in their 70s, the eldest being 87 years of age.
The transactions occurred in Berks, Bucks, Carbon, Centre, Columbia, Cumberland, Dauphin, Lancaster, Lebanon, Lehigh, Luzerne, Lycoming, Monroe, Montgomery, Montour, Mifflin, Northampton, Northumberland, Schuylkill, Snyder, Union, and York Counties.
The charges include Corrupt Organizations, Dealing in Proceeds of Unlawful Activity, and Identity Theft, among related charges. The case is being prosecuted by Deputy Attorney General Megan Madaffari. Those charged include:
Jackson Group
- Rashean Jackson, 41, of Bronx, NY
- Jessica Walter, 36, of Berwick, PA
- Sabrina Jackson-Creel, 24, of Reading, PA
- Jaleel Geddes-Kelly, 40, of Cambria Heights, NY
- Joselito Joseph, 40, of Valley Stream, NY
- Tammy Gibson, 42, of Wilkes Barre, PA
- Houdini Saunders, 41, of Nanticoke, PA
-------------------------------
This post is brought to you by
Michael J. O'Connor and Associates, Frackville
