Source: Office of United States Attorneys
MINNEAPOLIS – Reginae Calhoun of Brooklyn Center, Minnesota has pleaded guilty to access device fraud and aggravated identify theft, announced Acting U.S. Attorney Lisa D. Kirkpatrick.
According to court documents, from at least April 2024 to June 2024, Reginae Calhoun, 23, operated as a black-market travel agent. She purchased credit card information—including name, address, card numbers, expiration date, and CV2 code—of approximately 216 different victims on the dark web, which she used to book hotel rooms and rental cars for others. Calhoun’s customers paid her a fraction of the actual booking costs through peer-to-peer payment applications or in cash.
According to court documents, on June 2, 2024, Calhoun attempted to purchase airline tickets by using several different credit cards until the purchase was successful. Due to the several attempts, the airline reported suspected credit card fraud to the airport police. Airport police confirmed with the credit card owners that Calhoun was not authorized to use their cards.
“The ingenuity of Minnesota’s fraudsters seems to know no bounds,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Lisa D. Kirkpatrick. “Calhoun stole hundreds of victim identities and used them to conduct a black-market travel agent fraud scheme—stealing from others to enrich herself. She will now be held accountable in federal court.”
“Criminals who turn to the dark web to buy and sell stolen information are part of a growing threat to our digital security,” said Special Agent in Charge Alvin M. Winston Sr. of FBI Minneapolis. “This defendant built a business by exploiting the stolen identities and financial information of over 200 of innocent victims. The anonymity of the internet does not protect offenders from detection. The FBI and our partners will continue to find and expose these schemes and hold offenders accountable.”
Calhoun pleaded guilty on May 19, 2025, in U.S. District Court before Judge John R. Tunheim to one count of access device fraud and one count of aggravated identity theft.
This case is the result of an investigation conducted by the FBI and the MSP Airport Police Department.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Matthew C. Murphy prosecuted the case.