Dan Browning covers what sounds like a huge fraud ring prosecution:
A world map splattered with red dots shows the reach of a massive identity-theft case that went to trial this week in federal court in Minneapolis.
Jurors will hear testimony about what prosecutors describe as a sophisticated international conspiracy that stole and counterfeited thousands of identities, took over accounts at some of the nation’s largest financial institutions, defrauded mortgage lenders, credit card companies and consumers and then laundered the proceeds.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Ann Anaya said in her opening statement on Wednesday that the victims weren’t just banks and credit card companies. She said the alleged conspirators succeeded in stealing more than 8,700 individual identities from around the world.
Read more in The Star Tribune.