Alleged boy-band fakers indicted for fraud, theft

Back - Index - Submissions - - What is RSS? Date: Jan 12, 2003 Source: Boston Herald Submitted By: Gina by Dave Wedge Sunday, January 12, 2003 A pair of alleged boy band posers from Orange are accused of stealing the identities of two former members of New Kids on the Block and one of the Backstreet Boys and going on a spending spree in Las Vegas using bogus credit cards in the stars' names. Patrick Peter Ward and Michael W. Veskovic were indicted in Nevada this week on federal identity theft charges for allegedly pilfering the personal information of former NKOTB members Danny Wood and Jonathan Knight and Backstreet Boy Kevin Richardson. Prosecutors say the pair, along with two other men who have yet to be charged, used fake Social Security numbers to get Nevada driver's licenses in the pop stars' names. Ward, 23, allegedly got a license and a Fleet Bank credit card in Knight's name. Veskovic, 20, is accused of getting a license in Wood's name and a license and an American Express credit card in Richardson's name. Authorities say the men used the cards to rack up more than $1,000 each in bogus charges during a November jaunt in Las Vegas. Ward was nabbed by federal postal inspectors and local cops at his home in Orange on Thursday morning. He was ordered held without bail after being arraigned in federal court in Springfield on Friday. At the hearing, he refused to confirm his own identity. He will face a hearing Monday, after which he is expected to be extradited to Nevada. Veskovic, who is wanted on a U.S. Postal Service warrant, was still at large last night. The two face felony charges of identity theft, credit card fraud and Social Security fraud. Orange Sgt. John Bartus said both men are known to the Western Massachusetts police department and have been involved in similar scams locally. A woman who identified herself as Veskovic's grandmother said Veskovic had recently been to Las Vegas, but had not been in contact with his family since. Knight, 34, and Wood, 33, were in the hugely successful Hub-bred boy band along with Donnie Wahlberg, Joey McIntyre and Jordan Knight. NKOTB sold millions of records in the late 1980s and early 1990s before breaking up in 1994. Knight, who lives in Essex, is now a Realtor and has remained out of the public eye since the group disbanded. Wood, who lives in Miami, has released some solo projects with minimal success and is a producer who has worked on McIntyre's albums. Comment on this item. Recent Comments Submitted by: johnansog http://imrdsoacha.gov.co/silvitra-120mg-qrms Submitted by: peto4ok Submitted by: kipetok Comment on this item. Next Item: Massachusetts men accused of posing as pop music stars Prev Item: BOYS AND THE HOODS