The Attorney General’s Office busts a counterfeit credit card ring that used dozens of counterfeit cards with matching driver’s licenses to make purchases and cash advances at banks across the state.
The investigation, led by agents from the Attorney General’s Bureau of Criminal Investigations, revealed the alleged theft of tens of thousands of dollars and purchases made with stolen bank account data used to make counterfeit credit cards.
Lovell “Vell” Davis III (aka Lovell Bronson), who was arrested on Wednesday, Oct. 22, 2014, allegedly ran the counterfeit credit card ring and recruited associates including Cecelia Robinson,31, 8815 S. Halsted Ave., Chicago, Illinois, who is at large.
Davis allegedly “hired” Robinson and Latoya Jemerson (currently incarcerated in the Allegheny County Prison) to make cash advances using the credit cards he manufactured from banks in Philadelphia, Harrisburg and Pittsburgh for $1,000 to $1,500 at a time.
For their role, Davis allegedly let Robinson and Jemerson pocket 30 percent of the daily proceeds from the cash advances. The remaining cash was deposited in Davis’ personal bank account. The three also allegedly rented vehicles with the counterfeit credit cards to travel to the various banks to obtain the cash advances.
Investigators said they found no verifiable source of income for Davis, even though he reported earning $118,000 in 2013 as a barber on Commonwealth of Pennsylvania tax records.
Lovell “Vell” Davis III, 34, 314 Francis Drive, Havertown, Delaware County, is charged with 51 counts of access device fraud; one count of corrupt organizations; one count of dealing in proceeds of unlawful activities; one count of unlawful device making equipment; one count of criminal conspiracy; two counts of possessing instruments of crime; and one count of criminal use of a communication facility.
Davis was preliminarily arraigned and remanded to the Allegheny County Prison after failing to post $25,000 bail. A preliminary hearing is scheduled for Nov. 3, 2014 before Magisterial District Judge Anthony W. Saveikis.
Cecelia “CC” Robinson is charged with five counts of access device fraud; four counts of theft by unlawful taking; three counts of receiving stolen property; three counts of theft of services; three counts of theft by deception; two counts of theft; one count of corrupt organizations; one count of forgery; one count of possessing instruments of crime; one count of criminal conspiracy; and one count of criminal use of a communication facility.
Attorney General Kane thanked the North Fayette Township Police Department and the Robinson Township Police Department (both of Allegheny County), Havertown Township Police Department (Delaware County), Philadelphia Police Department, Department of Labor & Industry, Department of Revenue, Wells Fargo Bank and Citizens Bank for their assistance with the investigation.
