Louisiana police bust 'Fresh Start Financial' as identity theft, fraud ring; more than 20 people arrested

NEW ORLEANS — More than 20 people were arrested after Louisiana authorities uncovered an identity theft scam that spread across the country, likely committing more than $1,000,000 in fraud.

According to the Louisiana State Police, two people operating under the name “Fresh Start Financial” would use stolen and unassigned social security numbers to build a fake identity and build a credit history under that name. The operators would use the address of a local house for sale and create fake payroll stubs and utility bills to apply for credit cards. Authorities say then then paid someone to become an authorized user under that account and build the credit score.

Once the credit score was high enough, police say the profile was either sold or used to commit fraud.

According to Louisiana State Police, agents found 121 children’s identities used in these scams and have notified all of them. The victims range from Alaska all the way to the east coast.

Police say Fresh Start Financial and their customers used those identities to commit more than $1,000,000 in fraud.

The Orleans Parish District Attorney’s Office is seeking an indictment against the operators of Fresh Start Financial, Charles Roy and Tanya Ward, for racketeering, identity theft and injuring public records.

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The following people have been arrested in connecting with this investigation so far:

• 42-year-old Tanya Ward: (1) COUNT of Bank Fraud, (1) COUNT of Forgery, (2) COUNTS of Computer fraud, (1) COUNT of Monetary Instrument Abuse, (2) COUNTS of Theft of a Motor Vehicle, (32) COUNTS of Identity Theft, (1) COUNT of Possession of a Schedule I Narcotic, (74) COUNTS of Unlawful Production, Manufacturing, or Distribution of Fraudulent Documents, (1) COUNT of Insurance Fraud, and (1) COUNT of Injuring Public Records. (Jefferson and St. Tammany Parish)
• 31-year-old Charles Roy: (2) COUNTs of Bank Fraud, (2) COUNTs of Forgery, (1) COUNT of Computer Fraud, (1) COUNT of Monetary Instrument Abuse, (4) COUNTS of Theft of a Motor Vehicle, (2) COUNTS of Identity Theft, (1) COUNT of Insurance Fraud, (2) COUNTs of Injuring Public Records, (4) COUNTS related to Fugitive warrants. (Jefferson and St. Charles Parish)
• 23-year-old Erin Alonzo: Fugitive from Orleans Parish, Louisiana, for Second Degree Murder. (St. Tammany Parish)
• 28-year-old Joshua Blaise: (1) COUNT of Idenity Theft. (St. Tammany Parish)
• 26-year-old Jermaine Toussaint: (2) COUNTs of Bank Fraud, (2) COUNTs of Forgery, (2) COUNTS of Computer Fraud, (2) COUNTS of Theft of a Motor Vehicle, (2) COUNTS of Identity Theft, and (2) COUNTs of Injuring Public Records. (Orleans and Jefferson Parish)
• 24-year-old Carldell Marshal: (1) COUNT of Carrying of a Firearm by a Convicted Felon, Fugitive Warrant. (Jefferson Parish)
• 30-year-old Chloe Singleton: Multiple Fugitve Warrants,  (1) COUNT of Bank Fraud, (1) COUNT of Forgery, (1) COUNT of Computer Fraud, (1) COUNT of Theft of a Motor Vehicle, (1) COUNT of Identity Theft, (1) COUNT of PWIT of a Schedule I Narcotic, and (1) COUNT of Possession of a Schedule IV Narcotic. (Jefferson Parish)
• 24-year-old Shaquille Florant: (1) COUNT of Bank Fraud, (1) COUNT of Forgery, (1) COUNT of Computer Fraud, (1) COUNT of Monetary Instrument Abuse, (1) COUNT of Theft of a Motor Vehicle, (1) COUNT of Identity Theft, and a Fugitive Warrant. (Jefferson Parish)
• 42-year-old Torron Wilson: (1) COUNT of Principle to Identity Theft, (1) COUNT of Principle to Bank Fraud, (1) COUNT of Principle to Theft of a Motor Vehicle, (1) COUNT of Principle to Computer Fraud. (Jefferson Parish)
• 34-year-old Terrell Perkins: (1) COUNT of Bank Fraud, (1) COUNT of Identity Theft, and (1) COUNT of Carrying of a Firearm by a Convicted Felon. (Orleans and Jefferson Parish)
• 38-year-old Kimberly Gentry: (1) COUNT of Theft of a Motor Vehicle, and (1) COUNT of Unlawful Production, Manufacturing, or Distribution of Fraudulent Documents. (Orleans Parish)
• 36-year-old Dsean Young: (1) COUNT of Bank Fraud, (1) COUNT of Computer Fraud, (1) COUNT of Theft of a Motor Vehicle, (1) COUNT of Identity Theft, and (1) COUNT of Injuring Public Records. (Orleans Parish)
• 36-year-old Kendra Walker: Fugitive from Pearl River, La, and Jefferson Parish, La.
• 24-year-old Jasmine Ceaser: (1) COUNT of Bank Fraud, (1) COUNT of Computer Fraud, (1) COUNT of Theft of a Motor Vehicle, (1) COUNT of Identity Theft, and (1) COUNT of Unlawful Production, Manufacturing, or Distribution of Fraudulent Documents. (Orleans Parish)
• 25-year-old Elmira Fobbs: (1) COUNT of Unlawful Production, Manufacturing, or Distribution of Fraudulent Documents. (Jefferson Parish)
• 29-year-old Shanequa Henry: (1) COUNT of Unlawful Production, Manufacturing, or Distribution of Fraudulent Documents. (Jefferson Parish)
• 26-year-old Johnnisha Matthews: (2) COUNTS of Identity Theft, (1) COUNT of Computer Fraud, (1) COUNT of Unlawful Production, Manufacturing, or Distribution of Fraudulent Documents. (Orleans Parish)
• 26-year-old Pauline Peters: (1) COUNT of Identity Theft, and (1) COUNT of Computer Fraud. (Orleans Parish)
• 44-year-old Ladell Eurings: (3) COUNTS of Theft, and (3) COUNTS of Identity Theft. (Orleans Parish)
• 31-year-old Daijonia Hopson: (1) COUNT of Computer Fraud, and (1) COUNT of Identity Theft.
• 25-year-old Raymoniqua Johnson: (1) COUNT of Identity Theft *AT LARGE* (Orleans Parish)
• 32-year-old Courtney Griffith: (1) COUNT of Computer Fraud, (1) COUNT of Identity Theft, and (1) COUNT of Bank Fraud. *AT LARGE* (St. Bernard Parish)

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