Eleven plead not guilty to identity-theft charges

SAN DIEGO COURTS: Felony charges have been filed against 11 people accused of participating in a variety of identity-theft scams, officials with the District Attorney's Office announced yesterday.

The men and women named in the case, most of whom are Russian and Armenian nationals, face charges including conspiracy, grand theft, forgery and identity theft, according to prosecutors.

If convicted, they could be sentenced to prison terms ranging from six to 35 years.

They pleaded not guilty yesterday in San Diego Superior Court.
Prosecutors said some of the defendants are in the United States on work visas. Because of their arrests, federal officials have placed them on immigration holds.

Others are part of a group that brought Russian citizens to the United States, helped them get jobs as pedicab drivers and used them to set up bank accounts and receive money based on fraudulent tax returns.

Members of the group also made counterfeit credit cards to buy designer purses that were later sold online, prosecutors said.

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