Veneta Rizvic reports:
Eddie Lee Regans was indicted on fraudulent use of access devices, mail fraud and aggravated identity theft charges after allegedly using the personal information of several business customers to obtain credit for personal use.
Regans, 50, of St. Louis, racked up charges of $89,000 between August 2015 and July 2016, according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Missouri.
Read more on St. Louis Business Journal.
From the U.S.A. O.’s August 4 press release:
St. Louis, MO – Eddie Lee Regans was indicted on multiple fraud charges after using clients’ personal information to obtain credit to be used for his personal use, racking up charges of approximately $89,000.
On January 22, 2010, Eddie Lee Regans pled guilty to the felony offenses of aggravated identity theft and bank fraud stemming from his use of the names of others in order to open business accounts at various financial institutions throughout the St. Louis metropolitan area. Upon being released from an 84-month term of incarceration, Regans was ordered to submit to the supervision of the United States Probation Office for an additional five years. One of the terms of supervision prevented Regans from creating, managing or operating any business entity without the written approval of the probation office.
The indictment alleges that between August 2015 and July 2016, using the name Eddie Lee, Regans advertised himself as a contractor by distributing flyers to customers at various home improvement stores and other retail establishments in the St. Louis metropolitan area. Regans also established an internet website and Yellow Pages entry in which he claimed to provide home repair and general contractor services through a company called All Rehab & Repair. He also falsely claimed to have been accredited by the Better Business Bureau. In response to complaints by consumers and its own investigation, the Better Business Bureau issued an alert warning consumers from doing business with Regans and his companies. In addition to All Rehab & Repair, Regans used the following names when advertising his business: Reasonable Quality Work; Repair and Rehab; All Rehab Repairs and Affordable Quality Works. Regans obtained prospective customers’ identifying information by promising that his company would finance their home repairs, and believing his representations, several customers provided their names, dates of birth, social security numbers and addresses. As Regans did not operate any company through which he could provide financing, he used the identifying information to open, and attempt to open, credit accounts at the home improvement stores Menards and Lowes. Rather than use the credit accounts for the benefits of the homeowners, Regans utilized the accounts to purchase items for his benefit.
Eddie Regans, St. Louis, MO, was indicted by a federal grand jury on Wednesday, August 3, on two felony counts of fraudulent use of access devices, one felony count of mail fraud and six felony counts of aggravated identity theft.
If convicted, fraudulent use of access devices carries a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison and/or fines up to $250,000; mail fraud carries a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison and/or fines up to $250,000 and aggravated identity theft is a mandatory two years in prison consecutive to any other term of imprisonment. In determining the actual sentences, a judge is required to consider the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines, which provide recommended sentencing ranges.
This case was investigated by the United States Postal Inspection Service. Assistant United States Attorney Tracy Berry is handling the case for the U.S. Attorney’s Office.
As is always the case, charges set forth in an indictment are merely accusations and do not constitute proof of guilt. Every defendant is presumed to be innocent unless and until proven guilty.