Other schemes allegedly involved the use of fake identity information as well as legitimate customer information to swap SIM cards, enabling the defendants to verify banking information through text messages and withdraw funds from customer accounts. The owners of Global One Wireless – Plano brothers Abdul Basit Bhangda, 30, and Arsalan Bhangda, a/k/a Adam, 36 – allegedly acted through a parent corporation, RJ Telecom, to sell stolen products abroad by shipping the merchandise to foreign import companies located in the United Arab Emirates and Hong Kong.Īccording to the superseding indictment, the conspirators also utilized compromised store employees to activate phones using fake identities or fraudulently adding lines to legitimate customer accounts. Investigation revealed that these individuals were connected to a cell phone business in Dallas known as Global One Wireless. In December 2020, four members of the robbery crew were arrested following the armed robbery of an AT&T cell phone store in Fort Worth. The estimated loss associated with those robberies exceeds $500,000. According to the superseding indictment, a total of 23 armed takeover robberies were committed or attempted at various retail cellular phone stores located in Dallas, Corinth, Balch Springs, Seagoville, Greenville, Colleyville, Flower Mound, Grand Prairie, Arlington, Houston, Fort Worth, and Garland. The superseding indictment alleges that in late October 2020, a series of armed takeover-style robberies began to take place at AT&T, T-Mobile, and Verizon retail cell phone stores in the Dallas area. The defendants are alleged to have stolen electronics by armed robberies as well as through various fraud schemes. As detailed in the superseding indictment, the defendants’ organization included runners, suppliers, device traffickers, and exporters.

The superseding indictment remained sealed until this week.Īccording to the superseding indictment, members of a multi-layered criminal organization stole personal electronics, including cell phones, tablets, laptops, and smart watches, within the North Texas area and then exported those items overseas for resale. The superseding indictment was returned on August 11, 2021, and charges 101 individuals with conspiracy to interfere with interstate commerce interference with interstate commerce use or brandishing of a firearm during a crime of violence conspiracy to transport stolen property in interstate commerce mail fraud conspiracy wire fraud conspiracy and money laundering conspiracy. SHERMAN, Texas – A federal grand jury in Sherman has returned a seven-count superseding indictment charging 101 individuals in a cell phone trafficking conspiracy in the Eastern District of Texas, announced Acting U.S.

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