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Prosecutors say a Malden man tried to defraud a special unemployment fund for victims of the state’s coronavirus lockdown using identities he stole from a real estate firm.

Wagner Sozi, 32, was indicted on two counts of wire fraud, one count of aggravated identity theft and one count of making a false claim to the United States. Sozi was initially charged by criminal complaint and arrested on June 25, prosecutors announced Tuesday.

Sozi allegedly used stolen identities to claim benefits under the Pandemic Unemployment Assistance program, set up by the state and the federal government to offer jobless benefits to independent contractors and the self-employed.

Sozi, prosecutors claim, got the identities he used in the applications from a number of places, including a Cambridge apartment real estate firm where his roomate worked. Prosecutors say the firm, which they did not name, collected the personal identifying information of people who sought to rent local apartments, and agents found various files belonging to the company in Sozi’s apartment.

In addition, prosecutors claim many people whose identities Sozi allegedly stole had been clients of the Cambridge company, including at least one person whose identity Sozi allegedly used to file a fake unemployment claim. Sozi also alleged used stolen identities to buy $100,000 worth of Visa gift cards, spending them on items like fancy watches, and also to open a bank account using a fake driver’s license.

The charges of wire fraud provide for a sentence of up to 20 years in prison, three years of supervised release and a fine of up to $250,000. The charge of aggravated identity theft provides for a mandatory consecutive sentence of two years in prison, up to one year of supervised release and a fine of up to $250,000. The false claim charge provides for a sentence of up to three years in prison, three years of supervised release and a fine of up to $250,000.

Prosecutors: Malden Fraudster Stole Victim’s Identities from Real Estate Office

by Banker & Tradesman time to read: 1 min
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