Law enforcement has arrested five NY suspects who are accused of running an identity theft ring out of Bergen County, New Jersey.

According to the Bergen County Prosecutor’s Office, police became aware of the criminal enterprise when they apprehended a 20-year-old woman in November 2015. The woman was allegedly caught trying to use a stolen identity to purchase iPhones from a Verizon Wireless store in Closter, NJ.

Closter police arrested the woman and notified the Bergen County Prosecutor’s Office. The White Collar Crimes Unit and the Closter Police Detective Bureau conducted a joint investigation and reportedly learned that the woman was part of an organized identity theft ring that has been running scams throughout New Jersey, as well as New York, Pennsylvania, and Virginia.

The suspects allegedly used forged driver’s licenses to buy cell phones. Sometimes, the suspects would reportedly impersonate victims when completing their illegal purchases at Verizon stores.

According to officials, the suspects committed numerous fraudulent cell phone purchases and stole thousands of dollars.

The suspects, all of whom are from the Bronx, New York, have been charged with conspiracy to traffic in the personal identifying information of another. As set forth by N.J.S.A. 2C:21-17.3, this crime is classified as a second degree felony, which means that a conviction could lead to a sentence of 5-10 years in NJ State Prison.

To learn more about this case, view the Paramus Patch article, “3 Arrested in Multi-State ID Theft Ring, Prosecutor Says.”