Five charged with over $500K in retail fraud in Westchester

Westchester County Police have announced the arrest of five people charged with stealing over $500,000 in retail goods from various stores over the last five months. 

According to authorities, the suspects allegedly engaged in identity theft and credit card fraud, fraudulently obtaining numerous credit cards and using them to purchase merchandise before the cards were closed.

The ring would allegedly purchase several thousand dollars in merchandise each day, including high-end pocketbooks, clothing, TVs and furniture.

Westchester County Police executed search warrants on one residence in Mount Vernon, three in the Bronx and one in Queens, where the suspects were taken into custody. Authorities also seized numerous stolen items, valued at over $100,000, along with devices used to make fraudulent credit cards and fraudulent identification. 

The suspects have been identified as:

  • Hassan Miller, 46, of Mount Vernon
  • Dawn Anderson, 48, of East 143rd Street in the Bronx
  • Stanley Awala, 45, of 200th Street, St. Albans, Queens
  • Asanimo Riesa, 37, of East 146th Street in the Bronx
  • Peter Onogwu, 63, of North Oak Bronx Drive in the Bronx

All the suspects have been preliminarily charged with multiple counts of Grand Larceny and other offenses.