Massachusetts Man Sentenced for Defrauding Rideshare and Delivery Companies
A Brazilian national residing in Massachusetts was sentenced to 70 months in prison for using stolen identities purchased on the dark web to defraud rideshare and delivery companies.
From 2019 through April 2021, 39-year-old Thiago De Souza Prado and his accomplices conspired in the creation of fraudulent driver accounts with multiple rideshare and delivery companies. Prado and his accomplices used the stolen identities of more than 2,000 individuals in the scheme.
After using the stolen identities to create the driver accounts, Prado and his accomplices rented or sold the accounts to people who did not qualify to drive for the companies.
They charged between $250 and $300 per week for Rideshare Companies and $150 per week for Delivery Companies.
To increase the income made from the fraudulent accounts
Prado and his co-defendants exploited the companies' referral system by referring fake driver accounts and collecting referral bonuses from the companies.
Additionally, Prado and his co-conspirators used GPS spoofing APPs to make their rides appear longer. They also sold the spoofing technology to other drivers.
Investigators established that in October 2020, ten fraudulent driver accounts were created with an undisclosed delivery company from an IP address assigned to Prado. Some of the accounts were created using Prado's image.
A federal jury in Boston found Prado guilty of one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud, three counts of wire fraud, and three counts of aggravated identity theft in September 2023.
In addition to the five years and ten months in prison, U.S. Senior District Court Judge Mark L. Wolf handed Prado three years of supervised release. The judge also ordered him to pay a $50,000 fine.
From 2019 through April 2021, 39-year-old Thiago De Souza Prado and his accomplices conspired in the creation of fraudulent driver accounts with multiple rideshare and delivery companies. Prado and his accomplices used the stolen identities of more than 2,000 individuals in the scheme.
After using the stolen identities to create the driver accounts, Prado and his accomplices rented or sold the accounts to people who did not qualify to drive for the companies.
They charged between $250 and $300 per week for Rideshare Companies and $150 per week for Delivery Companies.
To increase the income made from the fraudulent accounts
Prado and his co-defendants exploited the companies' referral system by referring fake driver accounts and collecting referral bonuses from the companies.
Additionally, Prado and his co-conspirators used GPS spoofing APPs to make their rides appear longer. They also sold the spoofing technology to other drivers.
Investigators established that in October 2020, ten fraudulent driver accounts were created with an undisclosed delivery company from an IP address assigned to Prado. Some of the accounts were created using Prado's image.
A federal jury in Boston found Prado guilty of one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud, three counts of wire fraud, and three counts of aggravated identity theft in September 2023.
In addition to the five years and ten months in prison, U.S. Senior District Court Judge Mark L. Wolf handed Prado three years of supervised release. The judge also ordered him to pay a $50,000 fine.
