Macon man indicted for $800K Home Depot rental fraud scheme
A Home Depot store in Washington, DC, US, on Monday, Aug. 12, 2024. (Ting Shen/Bloomberg via Getty Images)
MACON, Ga. - A federal grand jury has indicted a Macon man accused of being part of a scheme that defrauded The Home Depot out of more than $800,000.
Yasin Saleem, 45, is arraigned on federal charges of conspiracy and wire fraud.
According to U.S. Attorney Ryan K. Buchanan, Saleem and his co-conspirators used forged driver's licenses and fraudulent debit cards that had recently been issued with the minimal funds needed to rent equipment and tools.
After renting the equipment, officials say Saleem and the others disabled the rented product's GPS devices to avoid detection. When the company tried to replace the missing equipment, they were unable to because of the limits on the fraudulent debit cards.
In total, investigators estimate the group stole more than $800,000 in equipment from the Atlanta-based business.
"Saleem and a crew of conspirators allegedly used fictitious driver’s licenses and fraudulent debit cards to exploit vulnerabilities within Home Depot’s equipment and tool rental service by stealing more than $800,000," Buchanan said. "Our office is committed to partnering closely with federal, state, and local law enforcement investigators to disrupt these kinds of criminal schemes and to prosecute the individuals who perpetrate them at the expense of corporations."
"Saleem’s retail theft scheme not only resulted in substantial financial loss for Home Depot but highlights the complex and widespread nature of organized retail crime," said Sean Burke, acting Special Agent in Charge of FBI Atlanta. "This indictment demonstrates the need for strong and collaborative efforts between the FBI and private-sector partners, to combat such threats effectively."
Saleem was arraigned before U.S. Magistrate Judge J. Christopher C. Bly on Oct. 25 following his indictment in June.