Posted on 02/16/2018 6:40:48 PM PST by blam
Special counsel Robert Mueller's office announced on Friday that California resident Richard Pinedo pleaded guilty to one count of identity fraud on February 12, according to court documents.
The plea deal's release came immediately after Mueller's office announced charges against 13 Russian nationals and three Russian entities accused of interfering in the 2016 US election by mounting an elaborate and multi-faceted social media influence operation meant to sow political discord during and after the race.
According to the statement of offense, Pinedo ran a company called "Auction Essistance," which offered services meant to get around the security requirements set by online payment companies like eBay, PayPal, and Amazon. Auction Essistance was shut down in December. The company's website says it is currently undergoing scheduled maintenance.
To help customers circumvent the security protocols set up by online payment websites, Pinedo created bank accounts on the internet using fraudulent identities and then sold those account numbers to Auction Essistance customers, the statement of offense said. It added that although Pinedo was not directly involved in registering the accounts while using fake identities, "he willfully and intentionally avoided learning about the use of stolen identities."
He did, however, help users get around the security protocols set up by PayPal, which is referred to in the plea deal as Company 1.
PayPal was also named in the indictment Mueller's office released earlier on Friday. The indictment says the Russians used PayPal to purchase ads on Facebook which were aimed at stoking political tensions before and after the election.
PayPal verifies users' bank account information by making trial deposits into the accounts associated with a user and then asking them to relay the amount of the deposits.
According to the statement of offense against Pinedo, the 28-year-old unwittingly aided the Russians
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(Excerpt) Read more at businessinsider.com ...
I thought Liberals think that Illegal Invaders have Constitutional Rights.
Wouldn’t that include these Russians having the Right to Free Speech?
What about Mike Hunt and Lotta Baloni?
Don’t forget Heywood Jablome.
Just wait until Mueller digs back into Popadopolous’ kindergarten records and finds out he stole a cookie at snack time from Mary Sue Miller.
Identity theft happens millions of times per year in this country, when illegal aliens use U.S. citizens’ SS numbers to get employment. Where is Fedzilla’s outrage about that?
good point!
We are spending how many millions to catch 13 people?
Any one know what the current tab is on Mueller’s Millions?
Or Harry Johnson.
And nobody asking why there’s no indictments for DNC perps who rigged their primaries....
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