An Australian man has been given a two-year prison sentence for committing identity theft through cyber means, which involved using counterfeit documents to set up online cryptocurrency accounts.
On June 21, the Australian Federal Police (AFP) announced that a 31-year-old Australian man had been sentenced at the Melbourne County Court. The man was charged after an international investigation into a website that sold technology aimed at facilitating fraud, resulting in over 1 million Australian dollars ($670,000) being stolen from victims.
Operation Stonefish exposes cybercrime network
Operation Stonefish was launched by the AFP in August 2022 following an investigation by UK authorities into a website that offered services for as little as 20 British pounds, allowing users to engage in identity theft and financial fraud.
Report Cyber, a website for reporting cybercrime run by the Australian Commonwealth Government, received a complaint from a victim in New South Wales regarding the creation of an unauthorized bank account.
Source: Australian Federal Police
AFP investigations revealed that the Australian man had used fake driver’s licenses with the real victims’ details and his own photo to open accounts on two cryptocurrency exchanges.
Arrest and seizure of evidence
In November 2022, AFP officers carried out a search warrant at the man’s residence in Boronia. They confiscated blank and counterfeit driver’s licenses, a lost passport, and various cards in other people’s names.
The authorities also discovered an encrypted messaging platform on the man’s computer containing discussions about identity-based crime and instruction manuals on creating counterfeit documents. The man refused to provide access codes to his devices during the search.
Detective Superintendent Tim Stainton emphasized the severe impact of identity theft, stating that “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.”
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Conviction and sentencing
The Australian man was found guilty of several charges under the country’s Anti-Money Laundering and Counter-Terrorism Financing Act 2006 and the Criminal Code. These included providing false information, dealing with proceeds of crime, producing and possessing counterfeit documents, and failing to comply with a court order.
He was sentenced to two years in prison, with a 10-month non-parole period. The authorities highlighted that the case underscores the widespread consequences of cyber-enabled identity theft and the significance of international cooperation in combating such crimes.
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