Feds: Men and others used stolen credit cards to buy $1.7 million worth of cigarettes
Click here for updates on this story
ATLANTA (WGCL) — Two Atlanta men and others were sentenced to federal prison for buying millions of dollars’ worth of cigarettes with stolen credit cards.
According to the U.S. Attorney’s office, Mamadou Sow, Demarcus Myree, Boubacar Tivalo, and Jacob James were sentenced for using fraudulent credit cards at metro Atlanta Sam’s Club to purchase cigarettes.
The four men obtained Sam’s Club membership cards in their names and aliases, according to a U.S. Attorney official. From September 2018 through November 2018, the defendants used dozens of stolen credit cards to buy$1.7 million worth of cigarettes at multiple Sam’s Clubs throughout metro Atlanta.
“Identity theft wreaks havoc on the lives of individuals and compromises the financial security of victims,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Kurt R. Erskine. “The sentences reflect the egregiousness of their conduct and the harm caused to dozens of victims, including individuals, financial institutions, and the retail establishments.”
The defendants have been sentenced by U.S. District Judge Eleanor L. Ross as follows:
• Demarcus Myree, a/k/a Yuri Markosov, 27, of Atlanta, Georgia, was sentenced to two years, six months in prison for access device fraud and possession of a stolen firearm, to be followed by two consecutive years imprisonment for aggravated identity theft. He was also sentenced to serve two years of supervised release and ordered to pay restitution in the amount of $339,545.42. Myree was convicted on these charges on June 26, 2019, after he pleaded guilty.
• Jacob James, a/k/a Mark Johnson and Joe Johnson, 31, of Atlanta, Georgia, was sentenced to two years in prison for access device fraud, to be followed by two consecutive years imprisonment for aggravated identity theft. He was also sentenced to serve three years of supervised release and ordered to pay restitution in the amount of $635,242.75. James was convicted on these charged on November 24, 2020, after he pleaded guilty.
• Mamadou Sow, a/k/a Moussa Sow, 30, of Guinea, was sentenced to two years, six months in prison for access device fraud, to be followed by two consecutive years imprisonment for aggravated identity theft. He was also sentenced to serve three years of supervised release and ordered to pay restitution in the amount of $749,772.31. Sow was convicted on these charges on July 23, 2019, after he pleaded guilty.
• Boubacar Tivalo, a/k/a Tivado Boubacar, 46, of Guinea, was sentenced to two years, six months in prison for access device fraud, to be followed by two consecutive years imprisonment for aggravated identity theft. He was also sentenced to serve three years of supervised release and ordered to pay restitution in the amount of $664,305.52. Tivalo was convicted on these charges on September 10, 2019, after he pleaded guilty
Please note: This content carries a strict local market embargo. If you share the same market as the contributor of this article, you may not use it on any platform.
