Police: Central Fla. Florist Used Stolen Credit Card Numbers For Porn
POSTED: Monday, March 14, 2005
SHARPES, Fla. -- Investigators were searching for more identity theft victims Monday after charging a former Melbourne florist over the weekend with stealing credit card numbers to order online pornography, Local 6 News partner
Florida Today reported.
Mark A. Bryant, 23, of Satellite Beach was arrested late Saturday and charged with identity theft and fraudulent use of a credit card following a three-month investigation involving 11 victims from Brevard and North Carolina.
The investigation began mid-December and soon centered on Bryant, a florist who took orders for flowers at Kabloom Florists in Melbourne,
Florida Today reported.
"We had a lady report that someone stole her identity and used her card number to buy porn," said Agent Todd Maddox of the Brevard County Sheriff's Office. Maddox said customers would either call in orders or drop in to pick up flowers at the shop.
"They'd order their flowers and he'd take their credit card numbers. Then he'd use his aunt's email address to access the sites at $39.95 a pop. He also used the computer at the store to access the pornography, " Maddox said, adding Bryant no longer works at the shop.
A call to Kabloom Florists seeking information was not returned early this afternoon.
One of the tamer titles for one website was called "Club X."
Bryant would then go online and use the credit card information to log on to pay per visit pornography sites, Maddox said. One woman reported at least $150 charges on her card. Five victims lived in Melbourne, four in unincorporated Brevard. Another victim lived in North Carolina, Maddox said.
Bryant was released from the Brevard County Detention Center late Sunday after posting $1,000 bail.
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