Talonda Hampton, 35, was arrested Oct. 30 on a charge of residential burglary, and was identified as one of seven women arrested Thursday in an identity theft ring in which hundreds of people throughout the country were victimized, according to the Cook County Sheriff’s office.
The alleged instigators in the scam, including Hampton, charged more than $300,000 in more than 500 transactions to purchase jewelry, furniture, household goods, appliances and electronics and then allegedly sold the items to friends and relatives for a cash profit, stated Cook County Sheriff Tom Dart.
The identity theft ring was allegedly headed by three sisters — Shikila Blount, Laqueshia Holmes and Tijuana Leonard — and male friends, information states. Blount was arrested at her home, while her sisters are wanted fugitives. According to information, investigators learned Leonard got a job with a janitorial service which provided cleaning services for a medical office. While Leonard was cleaning, she allegedly stole personal information from patient files and distribute the information to others. Her conspirators would allegedly go online and either apply for credit cards or request that person’s credit report mailed to the conspirators’ mailing address.
Once granted access to the credit line, they would allegedly run up bills, information states.
Those involved in the scheme allegedly got credit 285 times at Sears, 72 times at Victoria’s Secret, 46 times at The Room Place and 27 times at Express, among others, the Cook County Sheriff’s office stated. They were able to use personal information on victims from Los Angeles to New Jersey, Wisconsin to Florida and from Chicago and dozens of suburbs in Illinois and Indiana.
Hampton is being held at the Cook County Jail on $40,000 and is scheduled to appear in court on April 30. register-news.com
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