Deirdre M. Daly, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, today announced that on Sept. 21, 2017, a federal grand jury in New Haven returned a four-count indictment charging ELIJAH CHIN, 27, of Federal Way, Washington, with fraud and identity theft offenses.
CHIN appeared today before U.S. Magistrate Judge Donna F. Martinez in Hartford and entered a plea of not guilty to the charges. He was released on a $250,000 bond.
The indictment alleges that between approximately December 2016 and February 2017, CHIN was involved in a scheme in which credit card accounts were opened electronically using personal identifying information from Connecticut residents. After the credit card issuers mailed credit cards to the victims’ home addresses, CHIN took the cards directly from the victims’ mailboxes. CHIN then used the credit cards to purchase gift cards, pre-paid cards and other items at various retail establishments in Connecticut.
The indictment charges CHIN with two counts of wire fraud, which carry a maximum term of imprisonment of 20 years on each count, and two counts of aggravated identity theft, an offense that carries a mandatory consecutive term of imprisonment of two years.
U.S. Attorney Daly stressed that an indictment is only a charge and is not evidence of guilt. Charges are only allegations, and a defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
This matter is being investigated by the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, Wilton Police Department and Ridgefield Police Department. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Ray Miller.
Source: U.S. Department of Justice, Office of the United States Attorneys
