SARASOTA COUNTY, Fla. – Together with the Florida Department of Law Enforcement (FDLE), the Sarasota County Sheriff’s Office (SCSO) detained members of the Nelson Group, including Sammy David Nelson, 39, and Brittany Alexandria Nelson, 34, both of Margate; Jerome Dale Senior II, 41, of Plantation; Linda Joyce Hugley, 65, of Lauderdale Lakes; and Karlyn Marketa Campbell, 39, of Pompano Beach. These five defendants are accused of grand theft, racketeering, organized scheme to defraud, and unlawful use of personal identification information. Brittany Nelson and Sammy Nelson are also charged with money laundering.
The SCSO launched an investigation in 2022 after locals reported identity theft several times. The victims claimed that credit card accounts at multiple financial institutions had been opened without their permission and that their personal identification had been compromised.
Through these financial institutions, investigators from the sheriff’s office verified that over 200 dubious credit card applications were approved.
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Furthermore, the institutions were able to identify a number of people (via various groups) who seemed to be working together on this scheme.
It was discovered by investigators that Sammy and Brittany Nelson, who recruited members of their group from friends and family, were the main operators of the online criminal enterprise.
This group has attempted nearly $7 million worth of fraudulent credit card transactions using seven fictitious businesses since 2018, making about $2.3 million in the process. The inquiry revealed that money was transferred using a variety of banking channels and finally deposited into Sammy Nelson’s bank accounts.
“FDLE Miami is glad we could assist the Sarasota County Sheriff’s Office in their case to arrest this group of deceitful criminals,” said Felipe Williams, Special Agent in Charge of FDLE Miami. The identities of our citizens are essential and distinct. In the state of Florida, the Florida Department of Law Enforcement (FDLE) collaborates with its partners nationwide to ensure that those who attempt to appropriate or coerce that freedom are held accountable for their actions. Millions of dollars were stolen and laundered by this group, and Florida will not accept such illegal activity.”
Before the Nelsons were taken into custody on October 24, FDLE Miami carried out a search warrant on behalf of SCSO and searched their home and cars.
The next day, Senior and Campbell were taken into custody in Plantation due to their involvement. October 31, Hugley was taken into custody.
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Eight more suspects, Edward A. Bell, Jr., Joel Curtiss, Oshane Malcolm, Dujuan Neil, Sheldon Neil, Jada C. Turnbull, Livens Toussaint, and Stanley Ulysse, are the subjects of active warrants held by SCSO in connection with these crimes.
“These are complex cases that require painstaking dedication – to not only decipher but to track, which is why the sheriff’s office created an Economic Crimes Unit last year. We appreciate and commend those detectives for their meticulous investigation to bring this group to justice,” said Sheriff Kurt A. Hoffman.
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