Middle River Man Sentenced To Four Years In Federal Prison After Posing As Secret Service Agent In Identity Theft & Credit Card Fraud Scheme
MIDDLE RIVER, Md. (WJZ) -- Baltimore County officials announced that a Middle River man has been sentenced to 50 months in federal prison after he posed as Secret Service Agent to exploit victims in a credit card fraud and identity theft scheme.
Officials said Igor Cooper Rosensteel, 30, admitted that he posed as a federal agent in order to gain the trust of at least 15 victims. He would then scam them, steal their bank checks, credit cards and other things.
According to his guilty plea, an investigation revealed that from Jan. 2018 through Feb. 2019, Rosensteel falsely posed as a federal law enforcement officer and used the alleged status to scam at least eight victims.
According to the statement, he would use his persona to get free items and to gain the trust of women he met online. He would then exploit his victims by cashing out bank loans in their names and burdening them with the resulting debt.
He later admitted that after being invited into his victim's homes, he would search through their belongings, steal their keys, bank checks and credit cards. He would then use the stolen goods to go on lavish shopping sprees resulting in losses of more than $20,000.
In his plea, officials said on Aug. 3, 2018, Rosensteel was driving in Baltimore when he was pulled over by Maryland Transportation Authority Police. Officials said when asked to display his license and registration, Rosensteel told the officer he was a Secret Service Agent and placed a badge on his lap.
Rosensteel was taken to the police station after officers noticed a strong smell of alcohol. While he was detained, police contacted the U.S. Secret Service in D.C. and an investigation revealed that he was never employed by the U.S. Government. Rosensteel admitted to lying about being an agent after real agents traveled to the station in Baltimore.
Rosensteel was placed on pretrial release on Jan. 30, 2020, related to his pending charges. While on release, officials said he employed his previous persona and began a romantic under the name of "Cooper Kent." While in this relationship, he claimed he was an employee of the CIA.
Rosensteel later removed his ankle monitor after an argument with a third-party custodian on June 3. 2020 before fleeing the state.
He was apprehended on July 7, 2020, by the U.S. Marshal's Service after it was discovered he had at least seven debit and credit cards of additional victims. Officials also learned that he had the baking information of another victim written inside his wallet.
Rosensteel also pled guilty to additional charges of identity theft.