Bernanke identity thief gets 17 years in the pokey

Remember a few months ago when Federal Reserve Chairman's Ben Bernanke's wife had her identity stolen.  Well, if you don't, read my prior posts on the subject here - http://fcralawyer.blogspot.com/search/label/Bernanke

Lernando Zanders, a ringleader of the $1.5 million identity-theft ring that victimized Ms. Bernanke (among many others) was sentenced last week to 17 years in prison and ordered to pay back $1.4 million.  I guess his accomplices will only have to reimburse $100,000. 


According to authorities, Zanders paid professional office employees and pickpockets to steal the personal identifying information of his victims, which he and his accomplices then used to steal cash from the victims' bank accounts.

One of those pickpockets snatched Bernanke's wife's purse at a D.C. Starbucks.  The criminal ring then used her driver's license and checkbook to cash $900 in checks from the Bernanke's bank account.

The conspiracy was brought down, in part, by a receptionist at a Washington doctor's office who had sold patients' information to the ringleaders, court documents said. When authorities traced the stolen identities back to the receptionist, she recorded phone calls with co-conspirators and provided other information that led to their arrests and successful prosecution.