Wednesday, December 05, 2007

Identity Theft in Morton Grove

Sun Times:

Federal authorities have joined an investigation of a Morton Grove man caught with a cache of passports, credit cards and Illinois identification cards in his home, police said Tuesday.

Mohammed Afzal Sodagar, 51, is being held in lieu of $3 million bail on domestic battery, fraud and theft charges brought in Cook County Criminal Court.

Police seized the documents -- and more than $60,000 cash and 80 ounces of gold -- after responding to a report of domestic violence at his home Thursday. [snip]

Sodagar was a spokesman for the Muslim Community Center and Muslim Education Center, whose facilities are in Chicago and Morton Grove.

"We are alarmed over the alleged reports of the findings at Afzal Sodagar's home," the mosque said in a statement. "We urge the media to not irresponsibly associate local mosques with Mr. Sodagar's personal situation."

Sodagar has been removed from his positions in the mosque, the statement said.

Tribune:

The investigation of a Morton Grove man charged with 22 counts of felony identity theft started when his son reported that his father had threatened to shoot him, authorities said Tuesday.

Officers were looking for weapons last week when they searched the home of Mohammad Afzal Sodagar in the 8600 block of Frontage Drive. [snip]

"We have located 22 victims," Bolger said, including three from Michigan, Nevada and Indiana. But he said police believe there may be more victims.

The FBI, the Department of Homeland Security and the Internal Revenue Service have been notified of Sodagar's arrest, Bolger said.

FBI Chicago office spokesman Ross Rice said he would not discuss Sodagar's arrest, but said identity theft has been a problem in the Chicago area and that a multi-agency task force to address the program was created in 2004.

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