The Secret Service and the Manhattan DA’s Cyber Crimes Unit have busted a massive stolen credit card ring that stole close to a million dollars in MacBook laptops and other electronics from Apple stores across the country, The Post has learned.
The more than two-dozen members of the highly-structured ring — some of whom were still being sought last night — included forgers who created bogus credit cards based on the stolen account information of hundreds of identity theft victims, according to court documents.
So-called “shoppers” would then use the bogus cards to purchase MacBook laptops, iPods and other equipment at Apple stores throughout the city and as far away as Las Vegas, Los Angeles and Portland, Oregon, along with such other goods as gift cards and clothing, prosecutors alleged in the documents.
The shoppers would then be compensated in cash by so-called “fencers” who would then sell the goods for profit, prosecutors allege.
The first eight out of a total 27 alleged ring members were arraigned late yesterday on two indictments charging conspiracy, grand larceny, identity theft and forgery — including the man prosecutors are calling the ringleader, Shaheed Bilal, aka “Shah.”
Manhattan Supreme Court Justice Ronald Zweibel set bail on Bilal last night at a whopping one million dollars, after Assistant District Attorney Elizabeth Roper, noting the strength of the case and the brazenness of the crime, told the judge that Bilal would even boast on Twitter about using his bogus cards at restaurants.
A spokeswoman for DA Cyrus Vance declined to comment on the ring, except to say that prosecutors and the feds will announce details of the take-down this morning.



