A 31-year-old man from Australia has been handed a two-year prison sentence for engaging in cyber-enabled identity theft, which involved the creation of online cryptocurrency accounts using fake documents.
The Australian Federal Police (AFP) announced on June 21 that the man was sentenced at the Melbourne County Court after being charged as part of an international investigation into a website that sold technology used for fraudulent activities, resulting in over 1 million Australian dollars ($670,000) being stolen from victims.
The investigation, known as Operation Stonefish, was launched by the AFP in August 2022 following a probe by UK authorities into a website offering services for creating fake identities for as little as 20 British pounds. This site facilitated identity theft and financial fraud.
A complaint received by Report Cyber, a Commonwealth Government site for reporting cybercrime in Australia, from a victim in New South Wales about an unauthorized bank account being opened, led to the investigation into the Australian man.
The AFP discovered that the man had opened accounts on two cryptocurrency exchanges using fake driver’s licenses containing the real victims’ details but with his own photo.
In November 2022, AFP officers executed a search warrant at the man’s residence in Boronia where they found blank and fake driver’s licenses, a lost passport, and various cards under other people’s names. They also uncovered an encrypted messaging platform on the man’s computer containing discussions about identity-based crimes and manuals on creating false documents. During the search, the man refused to provide access codes to his devices.
Detective Superintendent Tim Stainton emphasized the serious consequences of identity theft, stating that “A stolen identity and the use of associated fraudulent documentation can have a devastating impact on people’s lives if sold online or used for criminal purposes.”
The man was convicted of multiple charges under Australia’s Anti-Money Laundering and Counter-Terrorism Financing Act 2006 and the Criminal Code, including providing false information, dealing with proceeds of crime, producing and possessing false documents, and failing to comply with a court order. He received a two-year prison sentence, with a 10-month non-parole period. Authorities highlighted the importance of international cooperation in combating cyber-enabled identity theft and the significant impact it can have on individuals.