Wayne.Faulkner@StarNewsOnline.com
Published: Thursday, March 3, 2011 at 12:28 p.m.
Last Modified: Thursday, March 3, 2011 at 12:28 p.m.
Last Modified: Thursday, March 3, 2011 at 12:28 p.m.
A federal grand jury has indicted a Wilmington man, charging he submitted hundreds of false credit card and lines of credit applications in other persons' names.
The 74-count indictment said that James Walter Goddard, 40, of Wilmington – who called himself the Credit Doctor of North Carolina – met with individuals and business owners during which time they provided him personal information including their full name, address, Social Security number and date of birth.
"Individual and business annual income was not discussed," the U.S. Attorney's Office said Thursday.
The indictment was unsealed Wednesday at Goddard's initial court appearance, though Goddard's alleged activities occurred from 2005 to 2009, the U.S. Attorney's office said.
The indictment charged Goddard with bank fraud, wire fraud, money laundering, aggravated identity theft, and obstruction of justice.
The indictment said that Goddard "touted his specialized skills included obtaining credit for newly formed businesses as well as credit repair, charging a 15 percent fee on each credit line he obtained."
He laundered more than $950,000 in merchant payments to his Sun Trust accounts from 2006 to 2009, the indictment said.
"In addition, from 2005 to 2011, Goddard has caused over $4 million in credit application and wire fraud," it continued.
"The individuals believed they were only going to get one or two credit cards. However, Goddard applied and was approved for between 10 and 20 cards on the individuals' behalf."
Goddard submitted falsified applications on annual incomes, and stated the businesses had been in operation for years and had gross revenues in the millions of dollars a year, according to the indictment.
"... Fictitious tax returns were also created," the indictment said. "The banks, relying on this information, granted significant credit card and business lines of credit."
The indictment said that Goddard also concealed his identify, "submitted the applications online and put the credit cards in the names of the individual/business owners.
"Goddard," the indictment said, began opening more and more credit cards without permission to generate revenue for himself."
URL: http://www.starnewsonline.com/article/20110303/ARTICLES/110309856/-1/news06?p=2&tc=pg
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