United States Attorney Lawrence G.

Brown

Eastern District of California

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE CONTACT: Lauren Horwood

Tuesday, September 8, 2009 PHONE: 916-554-2706
www.usdoj.gov/usao/cae usacae.edcapress@usdoj.gov
Docket #: 2:07-cr-164-MCE

SACRAMENTO MAN PLEADS GUILTY IN MASSIVE IDENTITY THEFT SCHEME

International ?Phishing” Fraud Nets Thousands of Personal Numbers

SACRAMENTO, Calif. — United States Attorney Lawrence G. Brown, United States

Secret Service Special Agent-in-Charge Jean Mitchell, and Placer County Sheriff Ed Bonner
announced today that TIEN TRUONG NGUYEN, aka Tim Nguyen, 30, of Sacramento, pleaded
guilty to conspiracy, access device fraud, aggravated identity theft, and being a felon in
possession of a firearm.
This case is the product of an extensive investigation by the United States Secret Service,
the Placer County Sheriff’s Office, and the Placer County District Attorney’s Office.
According to Assistant United States Attorneys Robin R. Taylor and Matthew D. Segal
of the Computer Hacking and Intellectual Property Unit (“CHIP” unit), who are prosecuting the
case, NGUYEN admitted that he was part of an international identity theft operation in which he
used his computer to obtain credit and debit card numbers, social security numbers, e-mail
addresses, and other personal identification information of tens of thousands of victims. The
defendant’s technique is described as “phishing,” which, using e-mail, Internet Web sites, or
other means, mimics the appearance of a trustworthy Web site for the purpose of duping
consumers into disclosing personal information, such as account numbers and passwords.
NGUYEN and others, including individuals in Romania, used phishing attacks to steal
tens of thousands of peoples’ names, credit and debit card numbers, social security numbers,
addresses, phone numbers, passwords, and PIN numbers. NGUYEN admitted to giving this
information to others who used it to obtain “instant credit” at Walmart stores throughout
Northern California. NGUYEN and his co-conspirators used the instant credit to purchase gift
cards and merchandise valued at more than $200,000. They also used the information to make
fraudulent credit cards and debit cards to make fraudulent purchases. NGUYEN’s computer
contained traces of software related to phishing, tens of thousands of complete identities, and
chat logs in which he and his co-conspirators discussed their crimes.
Each credit card fraud offense carries a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison. The
felon-in-possession-of-a-firearm charge carries a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison. The
conspiracy to commit computer and credit card fraud offense carries a maximum penalty of five
years in prison. The aggravated identity theft provision provides for a mandatory minimum of
two years in prison, consecutive to any sentence imposed by the court. In addition, the defendant
may be required to pay a fine and restitution. The actual sentence, however, will be determined
at the discretion of the court after consideration of the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, which take
into account a number of variables and any applicable statutory sentencing factors.
NGUYEN’s sentencing is scheduled for November 19, 2009.
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