Rhonda Weston was the ringleader of a multi-state identity theft fraud ring that resulted in millions of dollars obtained from fraudulent vehicles and home loans, leaving 151 victims in South Carolina, North Carolina, Florida, Texas, Georgia, Virginia, Missouri, and New York to face the adverse effects of having their credit ruined.
From July 2020 through August 2023, Weston’s co-conspirators obtained the stolen personal identifying information of identity theft victims from the dark web, which included the names, home addresses, Social Security numbers, dates of birth, and credit scores of the victims. With these identities, the conspirators created fraudulent driver’s licenses, utility bills, pay stubs, social security cards, and bank statements using the identity of the theft victims’ names and credit but with photos of the conspirators on the driver’s licenses. Everything necessary to fraudulently obtain money and property!
Using these stolen identities, under Weston’s guidance, the co-conspirators had a fraud quota of $650,000 that could be obtained from four different schemes: a vehicle purchase scheme, a vehicle title loan scheme claiming they were selling vehicles between themselves, a personal title loan scheme claiming home renovations, and a residential rental scheme leasing under the victims’ names but for their own personal use. Millions of dollars in property, boats, vehicles, golf carts, and cash were seized by agents in this investigation.
Concurrently, Weston also filed for and received fraudulent COVID-19 relief Paycheck Protection Program loans. A scheme she chose not to share with her co-conspirators. On November 6, 2024, Weston, and nine others were convicted of identity fraud.
Today’s Fraud of The Day is based on article “10 convicted in South Carolina for multi-state identity theft, fraud ring” published ABC Columbia News on November 6, 2024.
Ten people have been convicted in federal court for their participation in an identity theft and fraud ring based in Columbia, said the DOJ’s office. Also, the DOJ said there are victims in at least South Carolina, North Carolina, Florida, Texas, Georgia, Virginia, Missouri, and New York.
Ronda Weston, a/k/a/ “Lisa Caldwell,” a/k/a “Lisa Baker,” 49, of Columbia, pleaded guilty to wire fraud conspiracy, aggravated identity theft, and wire fraud related to PPP loans. Weston faces up to 20 years of federal prison, plus an additional mandatory two years in prison consecutive to any other time, forfeiture of assets and property seized from Weston during the investigation, and mandatory restitution. Weston is scheduled to be sentenced on Nov. 21. This is Weston’s third federal prosecution.