Kingston Ansah, the owner of a Georgia shipping company, has been sentenced to federal prison for an identity theft and credit card scheme. Ansah has been in federal custody since he attempted to flee the country after learning of these charges in November 2017.
“Identity theft and credit card fraud is an all too common problem in the business community,” said U.S. Attorney Byung J. (“BJay”) Pak. “Thieves like Ansah continue to pursue new ways to enrich themselves at others’ expense. We will employ every tool available to catch and prosecute people who seek to take what is not theirs.”
“Postal Inspectors, along with our law enforcement partners from the Social Security OIG, were able to unravel this sophisticated financial scheme that resulted in bringing this perpetrator to justice,” said David M. McGinnis, U.S. Postal Inspector in Charge of the Charlotte Division. “We will continue to be vigilant in pursuing individuals who illegally utilize the mail system for illicit financial gain.”
“The Social Security OIG will continue to partner with the Department of Justice and other law enforcement agencies to uphold the integrity of the Social Security number and prevent its misuse for profit,” said Rodregas Owens, Special Agent-in-Charge of the Social Security Administration, Office of the Inspector General, Atlanta Field Division. “I want to thank the U.S. Postal Inspection Service and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for pursuing this case and bringing an end to this individual’s fraudulent activities.”
According to U.S. Attorney Pak, the charges and other information presented in court: Kingston Ansah was the owner of “Oceane Cargo Link,” an Atlanta company that specialized in shipping products around the world. Beginning in 2016, Ansah made over $800,000 worth of credit card transactions using fraudulently obtained credit cards. The fraudulently obtained credit cards had been obtained by combining real and false personal identifying information (what are commonly known as “synthetic identities”). The fraudulent credit card transactions caused financial institutions to send hundreds of thousands of dollars to bank accounts under Ansah’s control.
In November 2017, U.S. Postal inspectors executed search warrants at Ansah’s home and Oceane Cargo Link’s headquarters. At Oceane Cargo Link, Postal Inspectors found dozens of fabricated driver’s licenses and fraudulent credit cards as well as folders cataloging individual synthetic identity profiles. In October 2017, Ansah was notified through his attorney that a federal grand jury had returned an indictment charging him with these offenses. Instead of surrendering to federal authorities, Ansah purchased a one-way plane ticket back to his native country of Ghana. Fortunately, U.S. Postal Inspectors learned of Ansah’s attempt to flee and arrested him as he waited to board his flight at Atlanta Hartsfield Jackson International Airport.
Kingston Ansah, 37, of Atlanta, Georgia, was sentenced to four years, nine months in prison, and three years of supervised release. Ansah was also ordered to pay full restitution to the victims.
The U.S. Postal Inspection Service and the Social Security Administration investigated this case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Thomas J. Krepp prosecuted the case.
