On Wednesday, February 14, 2024, federal prosecutors revealed that a 42-year-old Michigan woman, Brandalene Horn, faces numerous fraud charges. These charges are connected to a huge scheme that stole over $800,000 worth of luxury clothing and goods from rental websites for online resale.
The Department of Justice said they arrested Horn on Wednesday in Freeland, Michigan. She now faces charges of mail fraud, wire fraud, and interstate transportation of stolen property. Additionally, U.S. Attorney Damian Williams said, “Brandalene Horn perpetrated a lucrative scheme in which she defrauded at least three victim companies.”
He continued, “She stole hundreds of thousands of dollars worth of luxury and designer items. She then sold these stolen items online. Thanks to the work of the prosecutors and investigators of my Office. Horn now faces criminal federal charges for her alleged deceptive behavior and fraudulent activity.”
Federal prosecutors accused Horn of opening hundreds of accounts with at least three subscription-based clothing rental companies. Moreover, she engaged in fraudulent activities. A federal complaint revealed that from April 2022 to February 2024, Horn failed to return items. Some of these items are valued at thousands of dollars to the companies.
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Instead, she sold these items on an e-commerce platform. Horn stole over 1,000 items with a total value exceeding $823,000 from the affected companies. Furthermore, she sold these stolen items for over $750,000.
The complaint highlighted that Horn’s listings for the stolen items on the online marketplace featured proprietary photographs. Additionally, she used the item descriptions belonging to the victim companies. These descriptions purportedly mirrored those used by the companies.
According to the complaint, Horn skillfully avoided charges for the items. She did this by disputing them with her credit card or canceling the credit and debit cards used with the rented items. The suit alleges that Horn would “open new accounts so she could continue stealing and selling luxury goods.”
While investigating Horn, Special Agent Deleassa Penland purchased suspected stolen items from an e-commerce account. Horn reportedly operated the account under the username “cashhorn.” Using the pseudonym “Michael Smith,” Penland asked for deliveries to a Manhattan P.O. box.
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Collaborating with one of the rental subscription services, Penland verified that Horn rented three distinct items purchased as “Michael Smith” from the subscription site. According to the government, Horn’s scheme involved over 170 accounts on various subscription sites, even after facing repeated deactivations.
Furthermore, Horn used different email addresses, phone numbers, and card details for each account. However, she consistently used the same physical address for shipping and billing across these platforms. Everything about Horn’s pattern of stealing raises concerns about the extent of her elaborate operation. Also, the methods used to keep it going.
Regarding conviction, Horn may face a significant prison term, according to the Justice Department. The mail and wire fraud charges each carry a maximum of 20 years. Moreover, the charge related to the interstate transportation of stolen property carries a maximum of 10 years in federal prison.
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