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Orland Park man learns sentence in $2.29M credit card fraud operation

By FOX 32 Digital Staff
Published  October 30, 2024 4:18pm CDT
Orland Park
FOX 32 Chicago

The Brief

    • Antonio M. Strong, 32, of Orland Park, was sentenced to 34 months in prison for his role in a nationwide fraud scheme involving stolen credit card information, plus three years of supervised release.
    • From March 2016 to September 2020, Strong and co-conspirators used stolen data to fund a lavish lifestyle while posing as a music promoter with fake identities.
    • The scheme caused over $2.29 million in losses for businesses, which Strong has agreed to repay.

CHICAGO - An Orland Park man has been sentenced to nearly three years in prison for his role in a fraud scheme that stretched across the U.S., targeting businesses and individuals using stolen credit card information. 

Antonio M. Strong, 32, who previously pleaded guilty to wire fraud charges in May, was handed a sentence of 34 months in prison followed by three years of supervised release.

From March 2016 through September 2020, Strong, along with several co-conspirators, used stolen credit card data to fund a lavish lifestyle. Prosecutors said they booked everything from private jets and yachts to luxury hotels, cars and even designer puppies. 

Strong posed as a music promoter based in Chicago and used fake identities and aliases. He even claimed ties to major music labels like Universal, Sony and Epic Music. 

He also used fake driver’s licenses and email accounts under false names and company identities.

The stolen card information included not just card numbers, but also cardholders’ names, addresses, security codes and expiration dates. 

This data allowed businesses to process transactions without immediate suspicion, providing the goods and services that Strong and his accomplices sought. Cardholders then noticed the fraudulent charges and disputed them, leading credit card companies to reverse the charges. 

This left businesses on the hook for the expenses, resulting in a total loss of over $2.29 million, which Strong has agreed to repay. 

Strong was indicted by a federal grand jury in October 2020 along with five co-defendants, including rap artist Herbert Wright, Joseph Williams and Demario Sorrells.