How long can one man live under an assumed (and stolen) identity? If that man is Clark Lee Mower of Seattle, the answer is 35 years.
It’s said that the worst thing you can steal from someone is their good name. According to prosecutors, that’s exactly what Mower did to his victim when he made off with the man’s identity, caused trouble with the IRS, racked up over $139,000 in debt, and declared bankruptcy.
The victim of the identity theft spent a great deal of time and effort clearing up his credit following Mower’s bankruptcy in the 1980’s. Then, when the victim tried to buy a house in the late 90’s, he learned that Mower’s activities disqualified him for a mortgage loan. Luckily, the victim was able to use the services of a local credit union that knew of the identity theft.
Mower had also been using the victim’s identity to receive government benefits and medical care. He was arrested on July 29, and faces charges of aggravated identity theft.
No comments:
Post a Comment