Bails are set for Jersey City, Newark men charged with selling more than 1,500 fake driver's licenses

By Patrick McGovern | The Jersey Journal
on September 10, 2014 at 5:39 PM, updated September 10, 2014 at 5:46 PM

The two Jersey City men and one Newark man charged with running an online business selling fake driver?s licenses made their first court appearance today in a Newark federal court.

Ricardo Rosario, 32, and Abraham Corcino, 33, both of Jersey City, and Alexis Scott Carthens, 37, of Newark, appeared before Judge Steven Mannion.

All three are charged with conspiracy to commit fraud and related activity, charges that carry a maximum sentence of 15 years in prison and a $250,000 dollar fine. The men appeared in court handcuffed at both the hands and feet. They all appeared calm during the hearing.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Andrew Pak noted in his remarks that the men ?ran a very sophisticated website? and that ?they are some of the best in the business.?

Attorney Roy Greenman, who represented Rosario, argued against the bail stipulation that Rosario have no access to computers anywhere, including his place of employment. However, the judge upheld the condition.

Rosario will be released on a $250,000 bond. He will put up the deed to his Jersey City home to cover the bond. He must surrender all travel documents and must stay in New Jersey unless he gets pre-approval from the court.

Corcino?s attorney, Cynthia Hardaway, argued for a $100,000 bond bail while Pak said it should be $200,000. Mannion settled on a $150,000 bond bail.

Corcino will not be allowed to use a computer at home, but is allowed to use one at work on the condition that it is owned by his employer and his activity is monitored. He must surrender all travel documents as well.

Pak argued that because of Carthens' past criminal history, including convictions related to bank fraud and credit card theft,

Carthens? bail be set at $400,000. Pak noted that all the equipment used to make the fake IDs were found in Carthens? home.

Mannion ruled for a $325,000 bond bail for Carthens,with the condition he have no access to computers. If he is to live with someone who owns a computer, it must be password protected so that he cannot use it.

Carthens must also surrender all travel documents and remain in New Jersey unless authorized by the court.

Authorities said that from October 2012 through last month, Rosario, Corcino and Carthens sold fake driver?s licenses for $150 each on the websites ?fakeidstore.co? and ?fakedlstore.com.? Between Dec. 30 and June 23 they sold 1,514 fake licenses for $232,660, authorities said.

All three men are expected to make bail as early as today, according to Greenman.

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How does one enforce a "no snitching" rule? This could be useful information.

Jersey City, Newark men charged with selling more than 1,500 fake driver's licenses on Internet

By Ron Zeitlinger | The Jersey Journal
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on September 10, 2014 at 11:37 AM, updated September 10, 2014 at 12:00 PM

Two Jersey City men and one from Newark whose online business of selling fake driver's licenses was operated with two simple rules -- "no refunds, no snitching" -- came to a screeching halt when the three were arrested this morning, the U.S. Attorney's Office for New Jersey announced.

Ricardo Rosario, 32, and Abraham Corcino, 33, both of Jersey City, and Alexis Scott Carthens, 37, of Newark, have been charged by complaint with conspiracy to commit fraud and related activity in connection with authentication features.

All three men, who face 15 years in prison and hundreds of thousands of dollars in fines, are expected to make their initial court appearances later today before U.S. Magistrate Steven C. Mannion in federal court in Newark.

Authorities said that from October 2012 through last month, Rosario, Corcino and Carthens sold fake driver?s licenses for $150 each on the websites ?fakeidstore.co? and ?fakedlstore.com.? Between Dec. 30 and June 23 they sold 1,514 fake licenses for $232,660, authorities said.

The "fakeidstore.co" website appears to still be active, while the other one appears to have been shut down. Samples of fake licenses include a photo of President Obama.

The crime of selling fake licenses spawned more criminal activity, authorities said. A number of the fake licenses were used in connection with ?cash out? schemes, where stolen credit card information was used to steal cash from victims? accounts, authorities said.

The websites sold fake driver?s licenses for New Jersey, Florida, Illinois, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, and Wisconsin, and boasted that the licenses had ?scannable barcodes? and ?real? holographic overlays.

Authorities said that Rosario created and ran the website while Corcino and Carthens allegedly assisted Rosario by creating and mailing the fake driver?s licenses. Corcino also maintained an Instagram website, which was used to promote the website.

According to the criminal complaint, a law enforcement officer working undercover purchased fake driver's licences through one of the websites betweeb April and August and the IP address of confirmaton emails were traced back to Rosario's home.

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