NEWARK, N.J. — Identity theft can happen to anyone and it apparently happened to an NBA player years ago. Now a Georgia woman accused of the scheme could face serious jail time for the crime.
According to U.S. Attorney’s Office from the District of New Jersey, 51-year-old Annie M. Ford, of Atlanta, actually admitted to the crime on Friday. She pleaded guilty to wire fraud and aggravated identity theft.
Authorities didn't release the player's name, however, U.S. Attorney Craig Carpenito said Ford admitted to using his stolen identity in an attempt to get a $2.5 million loan from a New York-based lending company.
They said this happened in 2013 and that the player was living in New Jersey at the time. Ford is accused of creating fake documents with forged signatures, including a merchant agreement between the victim and the lender.
Officials said the money was intended to be deposited into a bank account that Ford controlled. They also said a fraudulent power of attorney document was created to make another person serve as the NBA player's "attorney-in-fact" for banking and financial matters.
The wire fraud charge carries a maximum potential penalty of 20 years and a $250,000 fine - or twice the gross gain or loss from the offense. As for aggravated identity theft, officials said that charge carries a maximum potential penalty of two years in prison.
Ford will be sentenced on March 4, 2020.
According to the Sentinel Network Databook of 2018, the Federal Trade Commission received just over 444,600 reports of identity theft. The FTC said credit card fraud tops the list of identity theft reports in 2018.
For resources on reporting identity theft or getting a recovery plan, visit the FTC's website.
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