On July 1, acting U.S. Attorney Bridget Brennan announced that bitcoin seized and ordered to be forfeited in connection with the federal investigation of Mark A. Simon and his scheme to produce fraudulent identification documents sold for $19.2 million–a dramatic increase in value since its seizure in May of 2019.
Mr. Simon, 37, of Toledo, was previously sentenced to 24 months in prison by District Court Judge Jeffrey Helmick for transferring false identification documents or authentication features and conspiracy to launder money, following an earlier guilty plea.
According to court documents, he produced and sold false identification documents; including fake driver’s licenses and personal ID cards issued by the states of Ohio, Michigan, and Utah.
Individuals purchased the false IDs through Mr. Simon’s website. Purchasers sent digital photos and biographical information for the false documents and paid for them in bitcoin.
Mr. Simon then mailed the items to purchasers using the U.S. mail bearing prepaid express mail stamps, with false return addresses in the Toledo area, explained Ms. Brennan.
Bitcoin seized during the investigation, initially valued at approximately $2,877,351.39, increased in value dramatically when forfeited and later sold by the United States government.
Mr. Simon agreed to the forfeiture in connection with the guilty plea. The net return from the sale of the bitcoin was $19,227,204.64, which is the largest net forfeiture in Northern District Court of Ohio’s history.
The case was investigated by the U.S. Secret Service and the Ohio Department of Public Safety, Ohio Investigative Unit.
