Motorcycles and graphics cards among Columbus man's purchases with stolen identities

COLUMBUS, Ohio (WCMH) -- A Columbus man is facing prison time after pleading guilty to stealing identities to buy high-priced technology and vehicles.

24-year-old Siyuan Ye pleaded guilty Tuesday to mail fraud and aggravated identity theft, according to U.S. attorney for the Southern District of Ohio Kenneth L. Parker. For over a year, Ye stole identities by obtaining Ohio and Florida driver's licenses without authorization and then using the licenses to obtain credit from retailers.

Court documents said that Ye stole at least 15 identities and got more than $100,000 in fraudulent credit. With the fraudulent money, Ye bought three motorcycles, including a Suzuki model in Westerville, a Chevrolet Corvette Stingray, and high-priced technology.

In April 2023, Ye allegedly used a stolen identity to buy nearly $8,500 worth of technology from a Micro Center that included laptops, graphics cards, and an Apple watch. As part of his plea agreement, he will pay more than $115,000 in restitution and could face up to three years in prison.