SOUTHFIELD, Mich. (WXYZ) — A Southfield man is facing the possibility of 20 years in prison after pleading guilty to conspiracy to commit wire fraud in connection with a $28 million cell phone scheme.
According to the United States Department of Justice, 34-year-old Delano Bush along with other people fraudulently obtained personally identifiable information and purchased cell devices on credit. They reportedly did this by charging the devices to accounts opened in the names of victims of ID theft.
The scheme reportedly ran from 2017 through at least September 2019. There were more than 26,000 fraudulent transactions made, resulting in a loss of more than $28 million, the DOJ says.
“Today’s guilty plea marks a significant event in a years-long investigation and prosecution. As this case shows, identity theft is constantly evolving, and fraudsters continue to find new ways to use and abuse their victims’ personal information,” said U.S. Attorney Ison in a statement. “My office remains committing to unraveling sophisticated fraud schemes such as this one, and to bringing the perpetrators of these schemes to justice.”
The plea agreement requires Bush to pay restitution to AT&T a minimum of $1.5 million.
His sentencing after pleading guilty to conspiracy to commit wire fraud is set for April 25.
