McLEAN, Va. (AP) -- A baggage handler at Dulles International Airport pleaded guilty Wednesday to wire fraud after admitting that he rummaged through undelivered bulk mail at the airport to steal thousands of credit cards.
Emmanuel Osho, 49, who supervised baggage handling for United Airlines at Dulles, could face up to 30 years in prison and a $1 million fine when he is sentenced Oct. 14 in U.S. District Court in Alexandria.
Osho admitted during a plea hearing Wednesday that he would rifle through pallets of undelivered mail arriving as cargo on United flights and pluck out envelopes that appeared to contain new or reissued credit cards, stuffing them into a black duffel bag.
Prosecutors estimated that Osho stole roughly 2,000 credit cards from October 2003 to January 2005. Osho sent the credit cards to Brooklyn, N.Y., to a coconspirator, Ademola Idowu, who then distributed the cards to others who would use them up and down the East Coast to obtain fraudulent cash advances.
The government estimates that Osho was paid $50,000 total for the stolen cards, which resulted in $4 million in losses to banks and credit unions.
''This defendant abused a position of trust he held at Dulles International Airport by stealing the identity and credit cards of many people,'' U.S. Attorney Paul McNulty said in a statement. ''His conviction is a victory in both our ongoing battle against identity theft and our efforts to maintain the security of our airports.''
Idowu already was sentenced to five years in prison for his role in the scam.
Osho, a Nigerian citizen, is in jail awaiting sentencing. His attorney, Bruce Johnson, was unavailable for comment Wednesday.
Jeff Green, a spokesman for United, said the airline fired Osho and believes his was an isolated case.
''The safe passage of our customers and their belongings is our top priority,'' Green said.
