New I.D. Theft Charges Filed InChoicePoint Case

LOS ANGELES - (08/16/05) -- A Nigerian man who pleaded nocontest earlier this year for his role in a fraud ring that stoledata from ChoicePoint Inc., pleaded not guilty last week to sixadditional charges. Olatunji Oluwatosin, 42, pleaded not guilty tocounts of identity theft, conspiracy and grand theft. The Nigeriannational remains the only person charged in the scheme, whichexposed the Social Security numbers, addresses and other personaldata of as many as 145,000 people. The new charges allege thatOluwatosin was part of an international ring that caused as much as$2.5 million in losses to merchants, banks and credit unions. Thestolen data was used to open credit card accounts in victims' namesand make cash advances from ATMs. The Nigerian was arrested lastOctober with five cell phones and three credit cards that belongedto other people.