Detroit man sentenced for conducting criminal enterprise
(CBS DETROIT) - A Wayne County man has been sentenced for conducting a criminal enterprise, Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel announced Tuesday.
Dewan Williams, 47, of Detroit, was sentenced on Feb. 17 on one count of conducting a criminal enterprise, a 20-year felony, and one count of identity theft, a 5-year felony, in connection to using personal information stolen from thousands of identity theft victims to defraud the State and benefit himself.
"It is imperative that individuals have their personal information protected and it is especially egregious when bad actors use that information to defraud government programs," Nessel said. "My office will always remain committed to defending Michiganders and ensuring our state agencies work together to protect residents from these fraudulent practices."
Williams was sentenced to two to 20 years in the Michigan Department of Corrections and was ordered to pay restitution.
An investigation from the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services and the Michigan State Police discovered that Williams used fraudulently approved Medicaid benefits to qualify for and receive free government cell phones.
When he received the phones, he would sell them for a profit.
"As a result of the investigation, approximately 150 new and pre-packaged Safelink Wireless phones were recovered from Williams' home along with personal information stolen from approximately 7,000 identity theft victims," said the attorney general's office. "The submission of these fraudulent applications cost the State of Michigan $11 million in unnecessary payments. After the accounts were determined to be fraudulent, they were shut down, and the State was able to recoup the money."
Officials say Williams must turn himself into custody at an adjourned sentencing date on June 29.