"The fraud ring
operated in Woodburn for more than a decade and produced over 10,000
fraudulent documents that they distributed in Woodburn or mailed to
customers around the United States," U.S. Attorney Billy Williams and
Assistant U.S. Attorney Peter Sax said in the plea agreement posted
Tuesday in court documents. Previous detailed court documents remain
under seal.
The Fraud Doc
Ring communicated with customers using Facebook, email, Snapchat and in
person, the plea deal states. Customers emailed, texted or mailed the
ring digital passport-style photos for insertion into the fake ID cards,
or visited a clandestine photography lab in Woodburn where their photos
were taken, the plea agreement says. Customers paid electronically
through PayPal, through the mail or in person.
In the
apartment, agents found dozens of security images and seals used in
legitimate identification documents. They also found stored digital
photos of more than 4,000 customers. The Fraud Doc
Ring produced a wide array of documents, including drivers' licenses for
over 25 different states, Social Security cards, lawful permanent
resident cards, U.S. and Mexican birth certificates and marriage
licenses.
