A Pittsburgh man has found himself behind bars, embroiled in an identity theft scheme that has seen him accused of swiping the personal details of hundreds to rack up purchases over $100,000 at local retail giants. Cornelius P. Tucker, 33, allegedly exploited identities to place online orders for a trove of items, predominantly from Lowe's and Giant Eagle stores, before turning to his Facebook page to flip them for a profit, as WPXI reported.
The resale operation, coined "Pittsburgh Stamps," became Tucker's platform for dealing the stolen goods, including power tools and home security products – with the Pennsylvania Attorney General’s Office chronicling over 200 counts of felony identity theft among related charges that Tucker now faces, his scheme uncovered by the vigilant efforts of the Organized Retail Crime Unit, according to WTAE.
Attorney General Dave Sunday elucidated the breadth of Tucker's alleged criminal efforts, as per WPXI, saying, "This defendant placed hundreds of online orders, under the names and accounts of unsuspecting victims, then fenced the goods to buyers on Facebook," further revealing the complexity of the operation and the lengths to which Tucker went to disguise the illicit nature of his transactions.
Tucker also faces felony charges, including dealing in proceeds of illegal activity, involvement in a corrupt organization, retail theft, and criminal use of a communication facility. Additionally, he is charged with misdemeanor offenses, including receiving stolen property and access device fraud. He was booked into the Allegheny County Jail after being unable to post the $250,000 bail, with a preliminary hearing set for July 14.
