Paul Shukovsky reports:
A Belfair couple pleaded guilty in federal court Tuesday to stealing identities and using trickery to obtain confidential medical, tax and employment information for private investigators who paid them fees for the information.
Emilio Torrella, 36, and Brandy Torella, 27, face a mandatory-minimum sentence of two years for aggravated identity theft, plus additional time for wire fraud and conspiracy.
Workers at the Torellas’ company, BNT Investigations, falsely assumed various roles to get government agencies such as the IRS and the Social Security Administration to give up confidential information, according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office.
In a plea agreement, the Torellas admit they used the technique, known as “pretexting,” to illegally obtain information on 1,800 people.
BNT’s private investigator clients were hired by lawyers, insurance companies and collection agencies to obtain information on opposing parties, witnesses and benefit claimants, according to authorities.
Source – Seattle Post-Intelligencer