Houston Man Pleads Guilty to Wire Fraud Scheme Using Children’s Social Security Numbers

HOUSTON – A 35-year-old Houston resident has pleaded guilty to two counts of wire fraud and one count of aggravated identity theft, announced U.S. Attorney Ryan K. Patrick.

From on or about July 27, 2016, through approximately May 19, 2017, Amir Ali Bey enacted a scheme to obtain money, cars and other luxury items by using the identities of other individuals. Bey created a number of aliases, including the name Daniel Isaiah Murray, to create credit profiles that were under his exclusive ownership and control. Bey then utilized these credit profiles to apply for various lines of credit to obtain cash. 

To create these profiles, Bey would intentionally steal the Social Security numbers of children, who typically do not monitor their credit histories in the same manner as adults. Bey would then link the stolen Social Security numbers to his name, or to another alias names under his exclusive ownership and control, by adding them as authorized users on existing credit card accounts in good standing. By doing so, he created a profile and credit history for those names with credit reporting agencies such as Experian. 

To further facilitate the scheme, Bey would use fraudulent drivers’ licenses and fake pay stubs, and rent mailboxes at UPS stores using fraudulently-obtained identifications. 

Law enforcement conducted a search of Bey’s apartment in May 2017, at which time they found multiple fraudulent identification documents, credit cards, bank statements and other items used the facilitate the wire fraud scheme.

U.S. District Judge Kenneth Hoyt accepted the plea today and set sentencing for March 19, 2018. At the time, up to 20 years for the wire fraud and a mandatory 24 months for the aggravated identity theft which must be served consecutively to any other prison term imposed. Both convictions also carry a possible $250,000 maximum fine. Bey was permitted to remain on bond pending that hearing.

The U.S. Postal Inspection Service conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Julie N. Searle is prosecuting the case.