Big Names Join List of ID Theft Victims
By Rick Hazeltine
Staff Editorial Writer
Although nearly 10 million people fall prey to identity theft each year, it's still surprising to hear a celebrity or other well-known citizens are victims.
But none, perhaps, was more surprising the Ben Bernanke, chairman of the Federal Reserve Board, if only because of his stature in the financial world. Isn't someone like that too smart to have his identity stolen?
An Illinois man pleaded guilty September 21 in an identity theft ring that counted Bernanke among its many victims according to a federal prosecutor and reported by the Associated Press.
And Bernanke wasn't the victim of a hi-tech James Bond-esque scheme. Instead, it was very low tech and how much of identity theft occurs.
Bernanke's wife was having coffee at a neighborhood Starbucks when her purse was stolen from the back of her chair. The thieves got Ana Bernanke's social security card, credit cards, driver's license and a book of checks. She filed a police report the same day.
Several days later, identity thieves were cashing checks on the Bernanke's bank account.
The ring is suspected of stealing more than $2 million from consumers and financial institutions according to Newsweek.
According to the Associated Press, Darrell Earl Price testified Monday that co-defendant Leonardo Darnell Zanders of Dolton, Ill., gave him checks in the name of Ben and Anna Bernanke.
Testimony and court records describe Zanders, 49, as the ringleader. He will be sentenced on Dec. 18.
Even minor celebrities have been recent victims. Arizona state police stopped a man in Phoenix for having a low tire and arrested the driver on suspicion of stealing the identity of Florida Marlins pitcher Kiko Calero.
Police said Oscar Corral showed an officer a fake Puerto Rican driver's license in the name of Enrique Calero Carrion, which is Calero's full name.
In December of last year, a New York man was arrested for having credit cards issued to him in the names of NBA Dallas Mavericks owner Mark Cuban and clothing designer Tommy Hilfiger, as well as George Hornig, the chief operating officer of investment bank Credit Suisse First Boston.
