The Street Crime Unit of the Greater Sudbury Police Service has laid additional charges in a fraud investigation involving forged credit cards.
Seven individuals were arrested on May 6 for possession of forged credit cards and merchandise from area stores.
Further investigation revealed that within a four-hour time period, these individuals purchased $19,000 in gift cards and $1,600 in merchandise from 15 area businesses before they were arrested. The group used stolen data that had been imprinted on forged credit cards to make the purchases.
Over 300 charges have been laid against the seven accused, including multiple counts of fraud, utter forged document, unauthorized use or possession of credit card data and possession of property obtained by crime. One person is also charged with obstruct police for providing a false identity, breaching a probation order and recognizance of bail.
Charged are: Tanyia Marie Lake, 35, Sophia Brown, 30, Shelly-Ann Campbell, 33, and Hamsakaran Balakrishnan, 31, all of Brampton, Sujanujan Cumarathas, 25, of Ottawa, Prasanna Uthayaqumar, 21, of Mississauga, and Ananadharasa Nadarasa, 33, of Concord.
Accused Lake, Brown, Campbell, Uthayaqumar, and Nadarasa were released on Bail on May 21, while Cumarthas and Balakrishnan are scheduled to appear in Bail Court on May 28.
