Accused ringleader of ID theft network admits guilt

The day after his federal fraud trial started, the accused leader of a criminal network that stole people’s identities to make fake credit cards admitted his guilt.

Albert McCall, 55, of Blacklick, Ohio, a career criminal who has also had addresses in Detroit and Alabama, pleaded guilty to six counts of fraud, identity theft and related offenses Tuesday before U.S. District Judge Arthur Schwab.

His trial began Monday with opening statements but ended before any evidence was presented.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Brendan Conway said McCall’s schemes harmed victims across the U.S., including in Pittsburgh. He and his co-conspirators bought personal data on the deep web and used embossing machines and card readers to create fake Ohio driver’s licenses, including one he sold to an undercover Secret Service agent.

McCall then created fraudulent credit cards and used them to rent hotel rooms and buy cars in the names of the victims. The idea was to sell the cars to a chop shop.

McCall and the others also used the fake documents to open lines of credit, prosecutors said, including one in which he bought more than $7,000 in jewelry at Kay Jewelers in Ross Park Mall.

McCall was undone when he was arrested last year in Warren, Mich., in an unrelated drug case and investigators recovered three cell phones they used to link him to the credit card scheme. Searches in Ohio and Pennsylvania turned up further evidence.

During his opening, Mr. Conway also played recordings of calls between McCall and a cooperating witness that revealed him talking in detail about his schemes.

Judge Schwab will sentence him in November.