Southfield man pleads guilty in identity fraud scheme totaling over $500K in losses

FOX 2 - A Southfield man pleaded guilty in an elaborate identity fraud scheme with social security cards, driver’s licenses, and equipment to make fake documents – all used to cause over half a million dollars in fraud.

The backstory:

Jerome Antwan Andrews admitted to possessing the Social Security numbers and driver’s license information for over 250 people, as well as an identification card printer, an embosser, a laminator, and a card cutter.

Andrews, 41, also admitted that his business model was to create and sell fake social security cards and driver’s licenses in the names of real people, and that it resulted in over $550,000 in fraud losses.

The Southfield man now faces up to 15 years in prison and a fine of $250,000 or more.

"My office and our law enforcement partners are committed to dismantling the networks that allow fraudsters like Mr. Andrews to flourish," said U.S. Attorney Jerome F. Gorgon Jr. in a statement. "We will aggressively prosecute identity theft and fraud."

"Jerome Antwan Andrews and his criminal associates stole more than $1.5 million by submitting hundreds of fraudulent claims to a pandemic program intended to help unemployed American workers," said Anthony P. D'Esposito, Inspector General, U.S. Department of Labor, Office of Inspector General in a statement.