News Releases
DULUTH MAN PLEADS GUILTY TO ACCESS DEVICE FRAUD AGAINST HOME DEPOT AND LOWE'S
March 24, 2005
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
David E. Nahmias, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Georgia, and William David Wilkinson, Special Agent in Charge, U.S. Secret Service, announce that MARCUS ABERCROMBIE, 34, of Duluth, Georgia, pleaded guilty today to charges of access device fraud and conspiracy to commit access device fraud and wire fraud in a hearing before U.S. District Judge Richard W. Story. According to David E. Nahmias and the documents and information presented in court:
ABERCROMBIE fenced fraudulently obtained Home Depot and Lowe's merchandise and store debit cards over the eBay Internet auction service and through a pawn shop owned by ABERCROMBIE. Two of ABERCROMBIE's accomplices, DAVID and MINDY OLIVER, of Hampton, Georgia, who each previously pleaded guilty to access device fraud, exchanged bar codes on merchandise from Home Depot and Lowe's, enabling them to purchase the items at a greatly reduced price. They would then return the merchandise to other stores, receiving store credit for the full price of the items in the form of store debit cards. ABERCROMBIE then sold the store debit cards, as well as merchandise purchased with these cards, over eBay and through his pawn shop. ABERCROMBIE also used the cards for his personal benefit, including renovating two homes by using the fraudulently acquired store credit. The scheme defrauded Home Depot and Lowe's of over $200,000, victimizing stores in five states.
ABERCROMBIE could receive a maximum of fifteen years in prison and a fine of up to $500,000. As part of his plea agreement, ABERCROMBIE today forfeited over $186,000, which will go towards restitution of the victimized companies. Sentencing is scheduled for June 28, 2005, at 2:00 P.M., before United States District Judge Richard W. Story.
This case was investigated by Special Agents of the United States Secret Service.
Assistant United States Attorneys Lawrence R. Sommerfeld and Dahil Goss are prosecuting the case.
For further information please contact David E. Nahmias, United States Attorney or William David Wilkinson, Special Agent in Charge, U.S. Secret Service, through Gentry Shelnutt, Criminal Division Chief, U.S. Attorney's Office, at (404) 581-6065. The Internet address for the HomePage for the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Northern District of Georgia is www.usdoj.gov/usao/gan.