Newport News man sentenced for prolific card-swiping operation

NEWPORT NEWS, Va. – A Newport News man was sentenced today to nine years and 11 months in prison for leading a credit card fraud and identity theft scheme that victimized thousands of people and caused at least $1.5 million in loss.

According to court documents, Damier Dorsey, 29, and his co-conspirators purchased account information for identity theft victims from the darknet, including the “BriansClub” website, and re-encoded that information onto cards in their possession. They used the altered cards without authorization from the legitimate account holders, beginning in 2017 when Dorsey purchased cartons of cigarettes that he would resell to a local business.

In 2018, the scheme evolved to purchasing items for resale and purchasing lottery tickets to launder proceeds through the Virginia Lottery. For example, on April 14, 2018, Dorsey and his co-conspirators purchased $2,716.06 of merchandise from Toys “R” Us and attempted to resell the merchandise on Facebook Marketplace. The same day, Dorsey used the same re-encoded card to withdraw $300 from a bank ATM. On June 27, 2018, Dorsey and his coconspirators purchased $200 of lottery tickets with a re-encoded card.

Dorsey and his co-conspirators were aspiring musicians who released music under the moniker, “$wipaG@ng.” Dorsey participated in a music video in which he and his co-conspirators boasted about committing fraud and other criminal activities.

On Aug. 2, 2018, Dorsey and a co-conspirator were stopped while driving by the Virginia State Police. Dorsey was in possession of a credit card embossing machine, numerous credit cards in various states of imprinting, and over $23,000. During a search of Dorsey’s home, law enforcement recovered multiple re-encoded credit cards, magnetic strip cards without labels, a magnetic strip card reader/writer, lists of numbers, lottery tickets, and W-2G tax forms for lottery winnings. The operation was so prolific that a co-conspirator approximated that she and Dorsey spent $10,000 per week on re-encoded and re-embossed credit and debit cards.

On Sept. 11, 2023, Dorsey pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit wire fraud and aggravated identity theft.

Jessica D. Aber, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia; Ajay Lall, Acting Inspector in Charge of the Washington Division of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service; and Steve R. Drew, Chief of Newport News Police, made the announcement after sentencing by U.S. District Judge Arenda Wright Allen.

U.S. Attorney Aber thanks the Virginia State Police for their assistance in this investigation.

Assistant U.S. Attorney D. Mack Coleman prosecuted the case.

A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia. Related court documents and information are located on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case No. 4:23-cr-38.