Two people are facing a long list of charges connected to a two-year investigation into a fraudulent lifestyle at a Hamilton-area residence.
Hamilton Police’s Major Fraud unit raided an East Mountain home on Jan. 16. A large number of ID bank cards and property were seized.
The raid was the second search by the fraud unit, which made a previous visit in March of 2019 and seized similar fraudulent property.
Bobbi-Jo Reichheld, 34, and Joshua Virag, 31, were arrested last Thursday and are facing a combined 143 charges related to identity theft and fraud.
The couple allegedly used other peoples identities to create fraudulent accounts to purchase clothing, household items and personal non-essential items, according to police.
Investigators say the probe began in July of 2018 after Virag’s home was searched and a bunch of fake IDs, credit cards and cheques were found by officers. A warrant was put out for his arrest.
Police say evidence from Virag’s confiscated laptop pointed to a scheme involving account take-overs, copying fraudulent cheques and banking documents belonging to a number of people.
In March of 2019 detectives obtained a search warrant for Reichheld’s home after police found a connection between Virag and Reichheld. 66 charges were laid against the 34-year-old related to fraud.
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On Wednesday, police obtained another warrant for Reichheld’s arrest – connected to charges from the 2019 incident – and upon arrival to her home discovered a U-Haul truck that had been rented with another woman’s driver’s licence and two credit cards in other people’s names.
On Thursday, police obtained another search warrant for a more extensive search of Reichheld’s residence.
Of the 143 charges, 65 of Virag’s charges were from the July 2018 investigation while five were for a connection to the fraudulently rented U-Haul.
Reichheld is facing 66 charges from her arrest in 2019 with another seven from the search on Jan. 16 in which officers confiscated identification and credit cards and banking documents in 14 victim’s names, as well as a laptop, five cell phones, and a magnetic strip reader for an iPhone.
Reichheld and Virag are still in custody, say police. A court date to face charges has not yet been set.
Police have identified about 100 victims who’ve suffered financial loss as a result of the misrepresentation and believe there may be more. Additional charges for Reichheld and Virag are expected at a future date, investigators say.
Anyone who may have had contact with Reichheld or Virag or had a bank account or credit card compromised are asked to call Hamilton police at 905-546-4603.
Tips can also be provided anonymously at Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-8477 or submit your anonymous tips online .
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