Man in stolen car on Long Island busted in identity theft scheme, police say
OLD WESTBURY, Long Island (PIX11) — Police unearthed an accused identity thief after finding him in a stolen car Tuesday in Old Westbury on Long Island, according to authorities.
An officer in an unmarked police vehicle noticed the 2023 Chrysler Pacifica that was reported stolen in Suffolk County back on Jan. 24, according to Old Westbury police. Officers pulled the minivan over and started to place the driver, Joeseph Rubino, 35, under arrest and impound the stolen vehicle.
Officers found substances that were identified by field tests as fentanyl and methamphetamine. Police said they also found several New York State driver’s licenses with different names on them, along with several credit and debit cards and a credit card skimmer.
Rubino is accused of using a website that sold personal information, gave him the ability to search credit scores, and purchased that information with cryptocurrency. Police said the scheme included Rubino using personal information to open lines of credit and then buying cellphones to sell online.
Police said that the victims are likely unaware they are victims of a crime.
Rubino is charged with the following:
Criminal possession of stolen property in the third-degree
Two counts of criminal possession of stolen property in the fourth-degree
Unauthorized use of a motor vehicle
Possession of a Skimmer Device in the second-degree
Unlawful possession of personal identification in the third-degree
Three counts of criminal possession of a controlled substance in the seventh-degree
Aggravated unlicensed operation of a motor vehicle in the third-degree
Jonathan Rizk is a digital journalist who has covered local news in the New York City and Washington D.C. areas. He has been with PIX11 since August 2022. See more of his work here and follow him on Twitter.
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