Pittsford Father and Son Charged in Rochester-Area Credit Card Fraud Scheme to Pay Business Taxes, Bills
If convicted, Talib Hussain, 74, and his son Mirza Khan, 46, who own three Rochester businesses are facing up to 30 years in prison and fines to the tune of one million dollars.
A father and son from Pittsford have been charged in a wide-ranging credit card fraud and identity theft case that federal authorities say spanned several years and involved major financial institutions, utility payments, and local businesses.
Talib Hussain, 74, and his son Mirza Khan, 46, are accused of bank fraud, wire fraud, conspiracy, and aggravated identity theft, according to a federal criminal complaint announced Tuesday by U.S. Attorney Michael DiGiacomo for the Western District of New York. If convicted, the charges carry a maximum penalty of 30 years in prison and a $1 million fine.
Federal prosecutors allege that since at least 2015, the two men engaged in a scheme using synthetic identities to obtain fraudulent credit cards. These identities were created using real Social Security numbers combined with false names and birthdates. The cards, once approved, were reportedly used to rack up charges up to their limits without any meaningful repayment.
Authorities say the fraud targeted several major banks and credit companies, including JP Morgan Chase, Discover, Bank of America, Capital One, and American Express. Investigators identified 32 fraudulent credit cards allegedly used to make online property tax and utility bill payments between 2016 and 2022, totaling approximately $163,000.
Some of the funds were allegedly used to pay city property taxes and utility bills for three Rochester businesses: Lucky Beverage on Norton Street, Chili Express on Chili Avenue, and EZ Food Market on Plymouth Avenue. According to investigators, Khan owns Lucky Beverage and Chili Express, while Hussain owns EZ Food Market.
The charges stem from a multi-agency investigation involving the FBI, the IRS Criminal Investigation Division, the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, and the Social Security Administration's Office of Inspector General.
Both men have been charged by criminal complaint, a preliminary step in federal prosecution. As with all criminal cases, the defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty in a court of law.