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Press Release
CAMDEN, N.J. - Complaints charging two men with credit card fraud conspiracy were unsealed today in federal court in New Jersey after the pair, who have allegedly attempted to fraudulently charge more than $500,000 using stolen account numbers, were arrested early Saturday, March 29, 2014, at the Borgata Casino, in Atlantic City, N.J., U.S. Attorney Paul J. Fishman announced.
Tracey Coleman, 46, of Rosedale, N.Y., and Wanell Wallace, 23, of Fresh Meadow, N.Y., are each charged with one count of conspiracy to produce, use, and traffic in one or more counterfeit access devices, with intent to defraud, in a manner affecting interstate commerce; and one count of conspiracy to do so during any one-year period and obtaining $1,000 or more.
Both defendants are expected to appear this afternoon before U.S. Magistrate Judge Joel Schneider in Camden federal court.
According to the documents filed in this case and statements made in court:
Coleman and Wallace fraudulently obtained funds, which were deposited into American Express accounts in their names, by using numerous credit card account numbers issued by Capital One Bank. Coleman and Wallace fraudulently obtained the numbers, which Wallace would then use to purchase prepaid debit cards in CVS Caremark drug stores throughout the New Jersey area. Those prepaid debit cards – or “Vanilla Reload” cards – were used to deposit funds into the American Express accounts.
Fraudulent transactions in Wallace’s name – consisting of both attempted transactions and successful transactions – are estimated at more than $500,000 during the period between April 2013 and the present. More than $50,000 in such transactions was conducted in March 2014 alone.
Each of the counts with which each defendant is charged carries a maximum potential penalty of five years in prison and a $250,000 fine, or twice the gross gain or loss from the offense.
U.S. Attorney Fishman credited special agents of the U.S. Secret Service, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Cynthia Wofford with the ongoing investigation.
The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Justin C. Danilewitz of the U.S. Attorney’s Office Criminal Division in Camden.
The charges and allegations contained in the complaints are merely accusations and the defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
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Defense counsel:
Tracey A. Coleman: Assistant Federal Public Defender Lori Koch Esq., Camden
Wanell Wallace: Edward Borden Esq., Cherry Hill, N.J.