U.S. Department of Justice

United States Attorney

District of Connecticut

PRESS RELEASE

January 30, 2009

FORMER STAMFORD RESIDENT PLEADS GUILTY TO CREDIT CARD FRAUD

Nora R. Dannehy, Acting United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, announced that RANDY BAADHIO, 43, formerly of Stamford, pleaded guilty today before United States District Judge Vanessa L. Bryant in Hartford to one count of credit card fraud.

According to documents filed with the Court and statements made in court, BAADHIO took names and Social Security account numbers of his victims from the Internet site “thevirginiawatchdog.com,” and used the information to obtain American Express credit cards.  BAADHIO incurred at least $142,423 in unauthorized charges on those credit cards.

BAADHIO has been detained since his arrest on June 15, 2007.

In pleading guilty, BAADHIO also admitted that, in March 2008, he provided false information to the Federal Bureau of Investigation concerning a potential terrorist threat.

BAADHIO was previously convicted in California of credit card fraud.

Judge Bryant has scheduled sentencing for April 21, 2009, at which time he faces a maximum term of imprisonment of 20 years and a fine of up to $250,000.

This case is being investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Connecticut Computer Crimes Task Force.  The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Edward Chang.