We live in a sick world, where some folks just don’t seem to know wrong from right. Now, we’re not preaching our own mortality here. We’re not going to tell you who you should sleep with, what you should smoke, or whether or not you should be a telemarketer. However, we do think that there is a group of complete and utter unethical pricks that need to go to jail for the rest of their lives for what they’ve done: identity thieves.
Identity theft protection has become a huge industry in the past few years, and for good reason. The amount of personal information, from identifying information to financial information and more, that we store online is becoming huge. That information is usually secure, but when one little hacker breaks in, it can devastate millions of lives.
The jerks who steal identities try to convince themselves that it’s really a victimless crime, since the credit card and other financial companies don’t usually hold the customer liable for the losses. However, that’s not always the case. Even if it is, the headache of sorting it all out can be mind boggling.
One recent identity theft ring didn’t just prey on whoever it could find. No, this scum, for whom a special place is reserved in the deepest, darkest pits of hell, targeted active duty military personnel.
That’s right. These worthless takers-of-oxygen set out to rip off the men and women who stand guard so that they can sleep at peace each and every night. The ring of identity thieves, based ironically on Staten Island, is accused of bilking millions of dollars from New Yorkers, and specifically targeted overseas troops.
The accused ringleaders were three men named Kazeem Badru, Ganju Rilwan and Okoronkwo Okechukwu. The men, who range in age from 32 to 46, were aided by as many as 25 other people. The ring is accused of stealing more than $5 million from a total of 200 or more people.
The scam reached as far out of New York as Fort Hood, Texas. As many as 20 troops stationed at Fort Hood, some of whom were deployed overseas, were victimized. The ring was aided by Kevin Marshall, a Bronx native stationed at the base.
While information about the trial will undoubtedly come out soon, the fact of the matter is that there are folks who believe the death penalty would be appropriate, if these men are found guilty.
Photo via respres
