Queens Man Is Arrested For I.D. Theft
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A Bangladeshi mortgage broker was arrested in an identity theft scheme that netted more than $1 million, police said.
Jacob Milton, 41, and his sister, Nira Niru, 38, were arrested for stealing the identities of applicants for home mortgages at the brokerage company they managed, Griffin Mortgage Company, in the Jackson Heights section of Queens, police said.
Investigators have identified 12 victims and believe that after searching documents in the 10 computers and three van-loads of paperwork they confiscated from Mr. Milton, more victims will be found, police said.
Detectives first suspected a scheme when a woman came forward who had discovered that a Home Depot credit card account had been opened in her name, police said.
In the next week, several other people told police of similar circumstances, and detectives followed a trail of evidence back to Mr. Milton, police said.
Along with opening credit cards, Mr. Milton used the victims’ identities to purchase mortgages and obtain home equity loans, police said.
Mr. Milton and Ms. Niru will likely face multiple charges of grand larceny and identity theft, police said.
