An Australian man has been sentenced to two years in prison for cyber-enabled identity theft, including using fake documents to create online cryptocurrency accounts.
On June 21, the Australian Federal Police (AFP) announced that a 31-year-old man was sentenced at the Melbourne County Court.
The man was charged after an international investigation into a website selling technology for fraud, linked to over 1 million Australian dollars ($670,000) theft from victims, according to reports.
The AFP began Operation Stonefish in August 2022 after UK authorities investigated a website offering spoofing services for as little as 20 British pounds. This site facilitated identity theft and financial fraud.
A complaint to Report Cyber, an Australian Commonwealth Government site for cybercrime reporting, came from a victim in New South Wales about an unauthorized bank account creation.
AFP investigations revealed that the man used fake driver’s licenses with real victims’ details and his own photo to open accounts on two cryptocurrency exchanges.
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In November 2022, AFP officers executed a search warrant at the man’s home in Boronia.
They seized blank and fake driver’s licenses, a lost passport, and various cards in other people’s names.
Authorities also found an encrypted messaging platform on the man’s computer, containing discussions about identity-based crime and manuals on creating false documents. The man refused to provide access codes to his devices during the search.
Detective Superintendent Tim Stainton highlighted the serious impact of identity theft, stating, “The theft of someone’s identity can have serious implications for victims and is a serious criminal offense punishable by significant time in prison.”
He added, “A stolen identity and the use of associated fraudulent documentation can have a devastating impact on people’s lives if sold online or used for criminal purposes.”
The Australian man was convicted of several charges under the Anti-Money Laundering and Counter-Terrorism Financing Act 2006 and the Criminal Code, including providing false information, dealing with proceeds of crime, producing and possessing false documents, and failing to comply with a court order.
He was sentenced to two years imprisonment, with a 10-month non-parole period.
Authorities emphasized that this case underscores the serious consequences of cyber-enabled identity theft and the importance of international cooperation in combating such crimes.
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