A North Brunswick man admitted his role in a conspiracy to hijack the credit card accounts of multiple victims in order to fraudulently purchase hundreds of thousands of dollars in high-end products,
Henry Abdul, 31, pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Peter G. Sheridan in Trenton federal court on Aug. 15 to an information charging him with one count of conspiracy to commit bank fraud and one count of aggravated identity theft, according to information provided by, U.S. Attorney Craig Carpenito announced.
According to documents filed in this case and statements made in court, between October 2015 and January 2018, Abdul, Alexus Omowole, 22, also of North Brunswick, and others participated in a conspiracy to obtain control of credit card accounts by, among other things, contacting the relevant financial institution and posing as the account owner in order to change the personal information associated with the customer accounts, including the residential address, email address and telephone number, according to the statement.
Afterwards, members of the conspiracy opened new accounts or ordered replacement cards to be shipped to them without the customers’ knowledge or authorization. Abdul’s prior residential address in Newark was used as part of the conspiracy, according to the statement. Afterward, Abdul, Omowole and others used the compromised credit card accounts to purchase high-value items, including smartphones, tablets and other electronic devices.
As part of his plea agreement, Abdul admitted the scheme caused between $250,000 and $550,000 in losses, and involved more than 10 separate victims, according to the statement.
The bank fraud conspiracy charge carries a maximum potential penalty of 30 years in prison and a $1 million fine. The aggravated identity theft charge carries a mandatory sentence of two years in prison, which must run consecutive to any other term of imprisonment imposed. Sentencing is scheduled for Nov. 28.
On May 21, Omowole pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit bank fraud and aggravated identity theft. She is scheduled to be sentenced on Sept.10.
