Theft Ring Busted After 7-month Investigation
SANTA CLARA – 35-year-old Ha Van Nguyen, 34-year-old Mai Thanh Hoang and 28-year-old Kent Minh Do appeared in court this week facing 44 Felony counts that allege the trio with along with others unlawfully took personal property, money in the amount of more than$50,322.42 from their victims under PC 186.10(c).
Ha Van Nguyen, 35
Mai Thanh Hoang was on probation and on May 7, 2013 her probation was revoked and a no bail order has been set for further hearing on June 11, 2013.
On or about November 15, 2012 – May 1, 2013, grand theft was reported under PC 484-487 (a) for transactions of victims that exceeded $50,000. The trio forged checks by signing fictitious names to cashier checks, money orders, and travelers checks intended to defraud known victims.
Mai Thanh Hoang, 34
Personal identifiable information was used without the authorization under PC 530.5(a) using the name and social security numbers of victims to enable credit card usage through a Comcast account. This allowed to the assailants to gain access to personal goods, services, realty property, and other information without the consent of the card holder.
Via fax, Comcast provided information to investigators revealing an IP address that identified the location of the culprits as 371 Elan Village Ln, #204, San Jose, 95134.
Nguyen, Hoang and Do had purchased equipment designed to make ID cards in order to falsify information that would allow them to collect personal identifiable information found in victim accounts with the intent to make counterfeit cards under PC484i(c). Additionally, the trio had access to the victims’ money.
The information that was used by Nguyen, Hoang and Do allowed them to falsify, forge, duplicate and counterfeit a driver’s license with the Seal of the State of California and State Bear Seal under PC 472.
Kent Minh Do, 28
Prior convictions range from buying and receiving of stolen goods under PC 496 (a) in which Hoang was convicted of attempted Burglary under PC 664-459-460(a).
On Nov 15, a suspect had entered the home of a victim through the hallway bathroom window, “once inside the suspect ransacked rooms looking for valuable items that belonged to the victim. When the victim had arrived home, the suspect had fled according to the supplemental report filed by the San Jose Police Dept.
machine used to create fake cards
The suspects established bank accounts and had successfully forged checks totaling more than $133,740.40. A total of 50,322.43 was paid out, however, the remainder of checks totaling $83,417.97 was returned to prevent further loss to the account once the discrepancy was flagged due to insufficient funds . An account was set up to fraudulently establish account activity.
The group was receiving property, mail, banking statements, U.S. passports, Green cards, credit cards, Debit cards, Social Security cards and check books that were reportedly stolen from other victims by other individuals.
counterfeit dollars
During the search of the residence, suspects Ha Van Nguyen, Mai Hoang and Kent Do, were placed under arrest, photographed and finger printed- blood and urine samples were also court ordered. The suspects were then transported to the Santa Clara County Main Jail. Digital photos of the crime scene were taken on May 2, 2013 by the San Jose Police Digital Crime Scene.
