A Houston con man's counterfeit empire has crumbled, leading to a significant prison sentence. Wade Zollinger, 43, will be spending over five years behind bars for operating a forgery ring involving fake identities, checks, and credit cards. United States Attorney Alamdar S. Hamdani announced the sentence following Zollinger's November 13, 2023, guilty plea, as reported by the U.S. Department of Justice.
Caught in a high-speed chase in a stolen vehicle, Zollinger eventually hit a dead end with the law. Police found an array of fraudulent items in his possession when they managed to rein him in, including bogus credit and debit cards, and checks belonging to unintended owners. Not to mention the counterfeit cash and printing plates intended to make more, Zollinger has been a busy man.
U.S. District Judge George C. Hanks Jr. imposed the 63-month sentence along with a subsequent three-year supervised release period. "It had a duty to issue a fair sentence on behalf of Zollinger’s victims," the judge acknowledged, emphasizing the importance of justice for those who fell prey to Zollinger's schemes.
Law enforcement didn't just stop at the scene of the chase; a search warrant at Zollinger’s residence turned up even more illegal materials echoing the nature of the fraudster's activities. Following the thorough investigation spearheaded by the Secret Service with the Harris County Sheriff’s Office's help, Assistant U.S. Attorneys Grace Murphy and James Hu brought the case to a close. With Zollinger now set to face the music, his victims can finally witness the wheels of justice as they turn ever so righteously.
