Taylor store closed for selling suspected stolen iPhones, iPads

TAYLOR, Mich. (FOX 2) - A Taylor cell phone store has been busted for allegedly selling stolen devices.

Federal investigators say the two men who operate Ace Future Wireless in Taylor, Frank Manni Jr. and Abdulsamed Montaser, knowingly bought, sold and shipped out stolen iPhones and iPads.

Investigators say some of the iPhones were stolen from Walmart, Sam's Club and Target and were then sold to Ace Future Wireless - and that iPads got into Manni and Montaser's hands by way of break-ins at Halecreek Elementary School in Romulus.

About 40 iPads were stolen. One of the men seen there told police he sold five of them to Ace Future and Romulus PD recovered them in a raid. 

The feds say an undercover agent sold more than $10,000 worth of iPhones to Ace Wireless and even told them they were stolen. That did not stop them from buying.

According to a criminal complaint, Montaser and Manni shipped dozens of iPhones and other gadgets to Arizona and Ohio the feds say many of those were also obtained fraudulently.

"People steal phones from bathrooms; people leave their phones in bathrooms by accident," Griffin said. "I've returned a phone I found in a bathroom, but some people take them here and sell them to this guy." 

Jonathan Griffith claims some Ace Future customers knew what was happening because they were in on it. 

"They sell them to this guy, he resets it and tells us, 'Hey you're going to lose everything on it, but I'll do it.' and he gets a store profit and makes money off these stolen phones and they're already in service."

FOX 2 stopped by both Manni and Montaser's homes, but no one answered. Ace Future Wireless was closed during its normal business hours Wednesday. 

One customer says he showed up to have a phone repaired. He was quick to distance himself from the owners when we told him about the allegations.

"Those guys, they take care of me good," Daniel said. "I don't know those guys. I don't know about those things.

Montaser and Manni are facing three federal charges that could lead to serious time in prison.