FBI: Mortgage Fraud, I.D. Theft Among More Popular Rackets Attracting Street Gangs

Daily Finance reports:

• Violent street gangs that have historically focused on drug trafficking and gun running are expanding into white collar crime. According to a report released last Friday by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, members from a slew of gangs, including the Bloods, Crips, Gangster Disciples, Vice Lords and Latin Kings are branching out into mortgage fraud, identity theft, the manufacturing of counterfeit checks, and bank fraud, among other crimes.

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• According to National Public Radio, in the last four years in Chicago alone, members of the Black Disciples gang participated in mortgage fraud totaling $70 million, while the Vice Lords engaged in similar mortgage scams totaling $80 million. In Los Angeles, the Long Beach chapter of the Crips, as well as members of the Mexican mafia, have been involved with identity theft, reports the Los Angeles Times.

For more, see Street Gangs Clean Up on White Collar Crime.