According
to court documents and statements made in court, Khalabuda and another person
used scanned images of Best Buy gifts cards on their cell phones to buy Apple
products from the Best Buy store in Salem, New Hampshire, in April and May
2017. On May 13, 2017, an employee of
the Salem store observed Khalabuda use scanned images of gift cards to buy
merchandise worth more than $2,200 and notified the Salem Police Department. Later that day, Khalabuda was arrested by
the Salem Police Department for driving without a driver’s license. While investigating Khalabuda’s use of the
gift cards, the Salem Police Department obtained a warrant to search a cell
phone he possessed at the time of his arrest.
During the search, investigators found text messages showing that
Khalabuda knew that the gift cards he used at the Salem store had been obtained
fraudulently.
Khalabuda
will be sentenced on September 12, 2018.
“Unfortunately advances in technology provide more opportunities for
fraud,” said U.S. Attorney Murray.
“Prosecuting individuals who fraudulently obtain money and property is
an important priority for the U.S. Attorney’s Office. The prosecutors in this office will continue
to work diligently with our federal, state and local law enforcement partners
to aggressively prosecute fraudulent conduct in its many forms.”
"Individuals like Mr. Khalabuda who defraud local businesses drive
up prices for all consumers,” said Harold H. Shaw, Special Agent in Charge, FBI
Boston Division. “This case should serve as a warning to others that the FBI
and our law enforcement partners will aggressively investigate those who commit
financial fraud and take advantage of others through their criminal
behavior."
The case
was investigated by the Salem Police Department and the Federal Bureau of
Investigation. It is being prosecuted by
Assistant United States Attorney Robert Kinsella.
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