Charlotte Man Sentenced for Identity Theft

Columbia, South Carolina ---- United States Attorney Beth Drake stated today that Stanley Fard Harper, age 33, of Charlotte, was sentenced to 24 months in prison for committing Aggravated Identity Theft, a violation of Title 18, United States Code, § 1028A.  United States District Judge J. Michelle Childs, of Columbia, also ordered Harper to pay over $57,000 in restitution to various financial institutions. 

 Harper was an employee of The Lash Group, a health care consulting firm located in Ft. Mill, SC, since 2010.  Harper had access to the personal identification information (PII) of Lash’s customer pool.  Harper stole this information and used it to open bank and credit card accounts at Founders Federal Credit Union, also located in Ft. Mill.

Harper used Lash client files to set up fraudulent accounts at Founders using his personal cell phone.  He would then go to the Founders branch in Ft. Mill, deposit a nominal sum to show activity, then apply for a credit card linked to that account.  He would then use a fake North Carolina identification and a fake social security card matching the stolen identity to make cash advances and purchases.  He would then deposit additional money into the account to increase the credit limit on his card.  He used the fraudulent cards until they were suspended for nonpayment, and then he would get rid of all the documents.  He opened thirteen accounts.  He received his false identification documents from a website for $60 per set.  All of the cash advances and purchases were for personal items.

Harper also opened fraudulent accounts at Charlotte Metro Federal Credit Union, Truliant Federal Credit Union, and Chase Bank USA. 

The United States Secret Service investigated the case.  Assistant United States Attorney Winston David Holliday, Jr., of the Columbia office is prosecuting the case.

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