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Nearly 100 Guyanese busted in mega credit card scam
Travis Lootawan on US$675,000 cash bail
(Reprinted from the New York Post) A cast of unsavory characters from Queens was busted for allegedly manufacturing thousands of bogus credit cards and using them on massive shopping sprees and luxury vacations, The Post has learned.
The two-year investigation ended this week, as authorities smashed several fraud rings and arrested 110 people (most of them Guyanese) around the borough, according to court records and sources.
“They went everywhere — Apple stores, Macy’s, Nordstrom’s, anywhere you can possible imagine,” said a law-enforcement source.
One of the rings was led by (Guyanese) Amar Singh, who was described in court papers as “overseeing the entire operation” — including an army of shoppers and fences to convert high-end goods to cash.
Singh allegedly received blank credit cards and account numbers from his contacts and had a whole crew of henchmen to help cash in with the phony plastic.
To complete the ruse, the crew allegedly forged identity cards.
Sources said that Singh employed his girlfriend, Neaj Punjani Singh, 21, as his top lieutenant — and that she would receive the high-ticket items purchased with the fake cards and funnel the cash through her personal bank account.
“They all go shopping: You go here, you go there, you buy this, you buy that,” the source said.
Both Singhs were held on $1 million bail.
DEBIT TO SOCIETY: A few of the hundred-plus alleged scammers involved in a massive fake-credit-card ring are led into Queens court.
The Queens District Attorney’s Office and the NYPD declined comment, citing a press conference planned for after the arrest.
Investigators had been watching the various rings for two years, according to sources.
One defendant, Carlos Plaza, 26, was using forged cards to jet down to Miami and Puerto Rico on a private jet, the sources said.
“They were partying. This was bought on stolen credit cards,” a source said.
Plaza is charged with enterprise corruption, identity theft and grand larceny.
He allegedly manufactured credit cards in his Richmond Hill home and was held on US$250,000 bail.
Investigators, who used extensive wiretaps, also came across other crimes during the probe, sources said.
Angel Quinones, a security guard with military experience, was charged with grand larceny for allegedly stealing more than $850,000 worth of computer equipment from a Citigroup location. He was held on $100,000 bail.
The parade of arrests had local bail bondsmen working overtime.
“This is a once-a-year kind of bust. These are the biggest enterprise-corruption cases we’ve seen,” said Jason Fordin, vice president of Empire Bail Bonds, noting that the only roundups of this size had involved gambling.
The credit-card fraud defendants represent “the diversity of Queens,” he said.
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that a shame,, work for your money .
Why is it that these indo Guyanese like getting involved in these crimes especially outside Guyana? It makes it difficult to other honest hardworking people this is shameful.
massive crimes by mini minds ! such waste…..
send them to Mars… dont deport them to GUYANA
Jail them, giving people bad credit in this economy don’t be surprise if all of them get a good 50 years in jail.
Only if we guyanese would use our clever brain and do something constructive.
we can see how the US deals with criminals in guyana they probably would get house lots.
Where in the original news item does it say the majority of these people are Guyanese? These Indian names seem to be just that, from India and the others have to be Spanish. Not saying Guyanese are definitely not involved but MAJORITY? Don’t think so. Too sophisticated a scheme for our people LoL.
“The two-year investigation ended this week, as authorities smashed several fraud rings and arrested 110 people (MOST OF THEM GUYANESE) around the borough, according to court records and sources.
“They went everywhere — Apple stores, Macy’s, Nordstrom’s, anywhere you can possible imagine,” said a law-enforcement source.
One of the rings was led by (GUYANES) Amar Singh, who was described in court papers as “overseeing the entire operation” — including an army of shoppers and fences to convert high-end goods to cash”
Here is the original post from the NY Post. NOWHERE it says that Amar Singh is Guyanese or ANYBODY else for that matter.
http://www.nypost.com/p/news/local/queens/credit_card_mega_wipe_vakkuecYq3XdWMjfccK93K
Alyu Bad ones meking it bad fu de good wans & honest GUYANESE job seekers.
wow!! and I thought that certain ethnic groups worked very hard at ‘honest jobs” hence their ‘wealth’.
WOW what a bust……inside and outside look upon these people who doing the act……shame ……shame on you guys……..
I THINK THEY SHOULD BE HANGED FOR SUCH BOLD CRIME .THANK YOU
This is the kind of sleaze that a growing number of West Indian and in particular Guyanese migrants have become embroiled in recently. This seems to be the best contributions to date from the putrid hallows of richmond Hil, Jamaica etc. Now these most recent criminals will join the ranks of Roger Khan, Ed Ahmad and others connected to the Don . One should not be surprised if these social misfits and societal rejects are in someway shape or form connected
Guyanese in the thick of things again. Please name all of them with there address in Guyana.
Brilliant minds used in the wrong way
Omg say what …my fellow Guyanese was living the American Dream well when they wake up they will be on the famous Rikers Island . We love blaming the Guyana Govt for everything. Who y’all going blame now ? Somebody please tell me this is not true.
Hey, what are you talking about, do you think the Guyana Government hands are clean, just wait after the election and you will see how much of them will be behind bars.
These miscreants are only giving Guyanese further “Bad name”.I have no sympathy for them. They are nothing but a bunch of thieves who are letting down our beautiful country Guyana.and should feel the “full brunt of the Law”.
i agree with you. They aren’t Guyanese they lost that right when they scammed all those ppl
It seems like for every Guyanese working to make a positive difference there are one hundred working to line their own pockets.Living in Queens as i did many Guyanese there flaunt their unexplainable wealth and have a ‘mightier than thou’ attitude.This is shame on Guyana but not the least bit surprising.
Obviously there was no mutation.Consequently transcription of the deoxyribonucleic acid into the ribonucleic acid took place seamlessly.
Q for b-bbarrat:
Will they qualify for free laptops when they get deported?
Wow!!! I am amazed to see that in the USA crime knows no ethnic limits, quite unlike the propaganda that is often perpetuated in Guyana!!!! Are we sure this wealth that these people were flaunting did not come from there fore-parents saving their monies? From the housing scam, to the banking scam, to the insurance scam now the credit card scam and ALL of this in Richmond Queens!!!! Is there a pattern here? Bisram, care to do a poll here to find out why they are turning to crime in a land of opportunities? I rest.
what american dream? it’s the american nightmare now.desperate times call for desperate measures,the only mistake they made was not building an empire in guyana so they can live like kings after they get deported….FOOOOLS
The properties would have be taken from them too bhai, the authorities are no fools.
Do not send them back to Guyana keep them in the US cause the will come back here and join the clan and there will be more fraud.Hang them high
I thought that it was only one ethnic group in (from) Guyana who are thieves. The truth has a way of revealing itself. To God be the glory.
When allyuh leave Guyana leave allyuh dutty habits behind as well because you don’t get off with it like you do in Guyana.
You are not supposed to judge us all because we are all not the same.
I am an honest haed working woman here to make a happier, healthier and most comfortable for myself and family. The indo-Guyanese are money hungry and love to show off what they have and the ones in Richmond Hill Queens think that they are better than anyone else. I agree with you when it comes tro crime in Guyana, people are getting off with any and everything in Guyana. Please make sure that you type your blog in english not creole because it is very difficult for me to read and understand.
so u think Guyanese alone do this?… other nationality may commit high end crimes in diff form…. jus tht they are not caught or be mad public
Wow!!
send all of them back to guyana
Please do not send them here in Guyana. Jailed them for 100 years each for bringing shame on Guyana.The crime comitted in US. Let us deal with them well. I condemmed this in the highest Possible way.Shame!
Well, well, well. wa fall from head , ddoes drop a shoulder before he fall a ground.
A change from Nigerians credit card scam.
The Guyana government would never jail them. Instead, they would give them the opportunity to purchase and take away people house and lots in Guyana with stolen monies…..kudos to the American laws!!!.Guyana….do you care to follow the US laws for criminal acts such as these…I mean…really? These criminals deserve many years in prison for this dreadful and heartless crime.
LAW ENFORCEMENTS KNEW WHAT WAS GOING SINCE 2 YEARS AGO. WHY WAIT SO LONG TO PUT AN END TO IT. DO NOT SHOW ANY MERCY ON THESE CROOKS.. THEIR PROPERTY SHOULD BE SIEZED. GUYANESE ARE SURELY MAKING HEAD LINES.
undercover work requires timing and evidence. they waited so long because they wanted to assure themselves that the gang was indeed a big one and to ensure that they reel in the high rollers. reeling them earlier might not have netted so many.
yes we understand life might not be as good as it is here in your Country, but that don’t give you the right to come all the way over here an Scam us. Shame on you!
I was once married to a beautiful Guyanese woman in 1972 in Washington DC
family name Dhaness. Unknown to me she was using me for immigration purposes and did not love me but rather a married white man she thought had lots of money because he drove around in a Lincoln Continental car. For the record i am also white. My wife was East Indian.
She was mistaken as i eventually had lots of money later on and knew it would be so.
The INS found out about her crime and was going to arrest her for fraud and send her back to Guyana after a jail term.
I left Washington DC to return home to California to take care of my mother and my wife promised to come out and join me.
She never did and for her own purposes she talked me into divorcing her which i did on a No fault basis and she promised to marry me later on in a respectful manner.
She never did and got the married man’s wife to divorce him on grounds of adultry which was proven and she then married him only 28 days after our divorce became final! That was my horrible experience with Guyana.
Since i have met some fine Guyanese people in fact one works in a restaurant near me and her husband might be related to my ex wife’s mother!! Go figure small world
Of course you all know about the terrible killing and suicide at Jonestown in 1974.
It is sad that Guyana is leading their citizens to do such terrible things.
grudge nor envy no one. impressing family and friends upon their arrival, but you don’t know what’s their occupation in America. Jail all of them for a long time, all those castles in Queens will be under scrutiny.