Three More Indicted In Credit Card Fraud And Cigarette Trafficking Conspiracy

RALEIGH - United States Attorney Thomas G. Walker announced the indictment of ALPHA OUMAR DIALLO, 24, of Raleigh, MAMADOU LAMARANA BAH, also known as “Lanzo”, 34, of Bronx, NY, and MAMADOU JALLOW, also known as “Mike”, 32, of Raleigh.  DIALLO, BAH, and JALLOW were each charged in indictments alleging Conspiracy to Commit Access Device Fraud, Access Device Fraud,  and Aggravated Identity Theft.  DIALLO also faces the charge of Felon in Possession of a Firearm.

The indictments generally allege that DIALLO, BAH, and JALLOW, were engaged in a schemes to acquire, among other things, large quantities of cigarettes in North Carolina and elsewhere using counterfeit gift and debit cards.  The cards utilized by the conspirators were counterfeit because the data encoded in the magnetic strip of the cards had been altered to contain credit and debit card numbers that were not encoded upon them at the time they were manufactured.  The indictments further alleged that conspirators acquired stolen credit and debit card data from sources on the internet, and received the stolen data in the form of internet email accounts to which they had access.  It is alleged that the conspirators used the stolen credit and debit card data to fraudulently re-encode cards for later use to purchase cigarettes and other items.

After acquiring several counterfeit cards, the indictments allege that the conspirators used the cards, and caused the cards to be used, to purchase numerous cartons of cigarettes.  The conspirators would generally travel from one store to another in a vehicle during a single trip to acquire a large volume of cigarettes.  Other conspirators would then transport the cigarettes to other states to be resold at a profit.

If convicted, the maximum punishment for Conspiracy to Commit Access Device Fraud and Access Device Fraud is up to 20 years in prison.  The punishment for Aggravated Identity Theft is a mandatory two years in prison consecutive to any other penalty imposed.  The maximum punishment on the charge of Felon in Possession of a Firearm is up to 10 years in prison.

Anyone with information on the whereabouts of ALPHA OUMAR DIALLO is asked to please contact the United States Secret Service at (919) 855-1052.

An indictment is an allegation of a crime.  All defendants are presumed under the law to be innocent until proven guilty.

The investigation of this case is being conducted by the United States Secret Service.  Assistant United States Attorney William M. Gilmore is the assigned prosecutor on the case from the Economic Crimes Division of the United States Attorney's Office.