Md. man- Ring Leader- convicted in identity theft, credit card skimming case that victimized 780 people Authorities said Komolafe recruited, trained and paid restaurant servers to slide cards through a skimmer that recorded credit card numbers later purchase gift card and designer goods, as well as to use gift cards to buy merchandise and then return it for cash. Prosecutors said the group was responsible for thousands of transactions throughout Maryland, Virginia, and Pennsylvania from at least January 2010 to June 2011. Four other men have pleaded guilty as well. The ring leader faces 9 1/2 yrs in prison and will be sentenced on March 9th. (Source washingtonpost.com)

Ticket switching team arrested in Boise with $18,000 worth of merchandise in their car. Boise police say the found about $18,000 worth of merchandise inside, including a metal detector, GPS devices, clothes, a fish finder, a vacuum cleaner, portable generators, and other high-end electronic devices, according to reports. Boise police officials did not provide an exact accounting of what the men spent on the items but estimated that the prices they switched on were about "10 cents on the dollar" — like taking an item worth thousands and putting a $200 price tag on it. The 32-year-old Sentiveanu and 45-year-old Dean are from the Seattle area, according to jail reports. (Source idahostatesman.com)