Property record scammer sentenced

The Russian leader of an identity theft ring that used home equity loan accounts and online property records to steal or attempt to steal $12.22 million from wealthy victims was sentenced today, according to the office of Manhattan District Attorney Robert Morgenthau.

Igor Klopov, 25, used his Internet savvy and a Forbes 400 list to target rich Americans, by finding data on their properties, mortgages and lines of credit, the prosecutor’s office said. He conned some victims out of $1.5 million, and attempted to con the others out of $10.7 million.

Klopov, who lived in Moscow, was busted in Manhattan in May 2007, and was sentenced today by Manhattan State Supreme Court Justice Gregory Carro to three-and-a-half to 10-and-a-half years in prison, on charges of grand larceny, identity theft and conspiracy, the DA’s office said.

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He led four other men in the operation, which generally attacked the home equity line of credit accounts of victims such as the head of a major credit reporting agency.

Many victims lived in states where property records were easily accessible online.

The other defendants, none of whom live in New York City, have all pleaded guilty.