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by Jon Christian Ryter.
www.jonchristianryter.com/Short.Takes/news.html

June 22, 2006, Audra Schmierer first realized someone else was using her Social Security number in February, 2005 only when she got a statement from the Internal Revenue Service demanding payment of $15,813.00 in back income taxes. Schmierer is a housewife in Dublin, California who has not worked since the birth of her son in 2000. The taxes were due from a job in Texas--somewhere Schmierer has never lived, and from an employer for whom she's never worked.

Schmierer was shocked to learn from the IRS when they checked that dozens of people were using her Social Security number--200 of them to be exact. In 17 States. The federal government knew a lot of different

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people were using Schmierer's Social Security number for quite some time. They knew because the IRS computers spit out the duplicate use of Social Security numbers whenever they happen--as soon as they happen. When duplicates occur, the Internal Revenue Service assume it's not fraud, and sends letters to the employers notifying them of an error in the use of the offending number. Other than fining the business owner $50 for each inaccurate number submitted, there isn't much the IRS can do. While it is a crime to use someone else's Social Security number, it is not the job of the IRS to track down purveyors of false ID. It's the job of the FBI--but its also one of those authority "gray areas" since the creation of the

Department of Homeland Security. If ID counterfeiters create bogus identification for illegal aliens, the crime falls under the purview of Immigration and Customs Enforcement [ICE] so usually raids on bogus ID mills are joint FBI and ICE operations.

Schmierer was told by the IRS that over 81 people were currently earning incomes on her Social Security number. When she started digging, Schmierer obtained over 200 W-2s and 1099 tax forms that contained her Social Security number but different names. The IRS assured her that the erroneous tax bills would be wiped out. But, they warned her, the problem was going to continue as long as illegal aliens were able to buy bogus ID containing her Social Security number. Social Security numbers aren't like credit card numbers where you simply cancel the card and issue a new number.

Laborers from Florida to Washington State were using her Social Security number to secure employment in construction, high tech companies and fast food restaurants. Some of those using it were men. Some were women. Information gleaned from FBI investigations of many of them determined that the majority of the users of Schmierer's Social Security number were illegal immigrants.

Illegals purchase phony identification from underground ID mills that can be found in every urban center in the country. The going rate for a bogus Social Security card, green card or driver's license is $80 to $125. If the "customer" is Muslim the

price could be higher since the quality of the workmanship will have to be much better. Most counterfeiters can turn out an ID package consisting of all three documents within 30 minutes to three hours for the typical Mexican "customer."

Some of the documents are good enough to fool a cop checking a pedestrian's ID, but most of them aren't good enough to fool a computer if the ID is run for warrants. Unfortunately, most of the employers who hire illegals aren't concerned about whether or not their identification is genuine--or even if it's poor quality. They simply want to cover themselves in case an ICE agent asks to check the I-9 completed by the job applicant to make sure they possessed a green card, a Social Security card and a drivers' license when they applied for their job.

Around 6 a.m. on Tuesday, June 20 2006, FBI and ICE agents raided a two-bedroom apartment on 16th St. NW in Washington, DC. They woke the eight Hispanic men who were sleeping there and arrested them. Taken into custody were Eladio Espinoza-Cuevas, 50; Andrews Angel Vasquez-Soriano, 41; Alberto Martin Vasquez-Soriano, 40; Luis Vasquez, 33; Julio Cesar Pacheco-Vasquez, 24; Cesar Cuevas-Mendez, 24; Luis Angel Mendez-Hernandez, 21; and Juan Antonio Pacheco-Vasquez, 20. Luis Vasquez faces federal charges for immigration fraud. The others face similar charges, but will likely be deported instead of charged.

Agents found more than 100 fake documents in the apartment. The feds also found electronic devises used to counterfeit the documents they sold. Also found was about $14 thousand in cash. The ring that was broken is thought to be part of an international ID ring run by the Castorena-Ibarra family--whose leader was just arrested in Mexico.

ICE agents said the ring distributes their bogus IDs throughout the country. They have ties with groups in Detroit, Baltimore and Chicago. These groups have been under surveillance by ICE since shortly after 9-11. The task force have already arrested 195 people. All of them except one were illegal aliens. Most of them were Mexican although Hispanics from other Central American countries were also arrested. Over 10 thousand counterfeit documents with a street value of more than a million dollars were seized.
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