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She was a he at the time.
Closter police confiscated the flash ride during a 2018 investigation that produced the arrest of Ralph Taylor -- who according to the U.S. Attorney's Office has become Alexis Taylor while behind bars.
Working with others, Taylor bought a “significant amount of stolen personal identifying information via the dark web, including bank account information and online security question answers,” a complaint on file in federal court in Newark says.
Taylor used the information to access victim accounts in New Jersey, New York and elsewhere, the complaint says.
She and her cohorts went to the victims’ banks and impersonated them to withdraw money, it says. They also called to request wire transfers.
Taylor even went to victims’ homes and snatched debit cards and other financial documents from their mail, authorities said.
Taylor used one of the stolen credit cards to book a pair of roundtrip tickets to California from a Teterboro flight broker who supplied private jets for celebrities and executives, they said.
The broker was ripped off to the tune of $33,000, records show.
Records also show that Taylor had a previous federal criminal history as Ralph. So it was hardly a surprise when the U.S. Secret Service eventually picked up the investigation.
Rather than go to trial, Alexis Taylor accepted a deal from the government, pleading guilty to conspiracy to commit bank fraud. A federal judge in Newark sentenced her this past February to five years and three months in prison.
Taylor is currently serving out the sentence at the Federal Correctional Institution in Otisville (Orange County), NY, a medium-security prison. Her scheduled release date: March 14, 2023.
She must complete just about all of the 63-month term – including credit for time already served -- because there’s no parole in the federal prison system.
Meanwhile, with restitution hashed out and the vehicle seizure approved by a federal judge, the northeast Bergen County borough of Closter (population 8,565) can collect some revenue that may go toward projects, programs, public safety initiatives or other municipal purposes.
Dozens have already bid on the confiscated Maserati, which doesn’t have a reserve to meet. At last glance Thursday night, the bids had topped $24,000 (Unofficial comparatives: $28,000 to $30,000).
You can bid on it, too, by going to: Municibid.com. The auction continues through Jan. 4.
The specs:
- 2015 Maserati Quattroporte
- 4-door sedan, white exterior/black interior
- 63,150 miles
- 8-speed automatic transmission
- 3.0L V6 DOHC 24V engine
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