Fed Chief Bernanke Was ID Theft Victim
Ben Bernanke, the chairman of the Federal Reserve, was the victim of identity theft after his wife’s purse was stolen from the back of her chair at a Starbucks coffee shop in the District of Columbia last August.
Although his wife lost only $5 in cash, her purse contained a checkbook and credit cards, and a fraudulent check for $900 was soon drawn against the checking account, recounts the Washington Post. The identity theft was first reported by Newsweek.
The newspaper reports that authorities have charged a suspect and say that the theft of his wife’s handbag was part of a national identity theft ring that has cost banks some $2.1 million.
In a written statement, the Fed chief emphasizes the seriousness of identity theft and says he is “grateful for the law enforcement officers who patiently and diligently work to solve and prevent these financial crimes.”
