Detectives Arrest Three In Seaford Racketeering Ring

Location: 8000 block of Garden Lane, Seaford, DE

Date of Occurrence: January - February 2013

Defendant, Charges, and Bond Information:

Vinod Singh, 35, Seaford, DE (Photo Attached)
Racketeering
Theft Greater than $50,000.00
Money Laundering
Receiving Stolen Property over $1,500.00
Conspiracy 2nd

Arraigned at JP2 and released on $38,000.00 unsecured bond.

Terretta L. Lassiter, 22, Seaford, DE (Photo Attached)
Racketeering
Money Laundering
Receiving Stolen Property over $1,500.00
Conspiracy 2nd

Arraigned at JP2 and released on $31,000.00 unsecured bond.

Thaddeus E. Boldon, 26, Seaford, DE (Photo Attached)
Racketeering
Money Laundering
Receiving Stolen Property over $1,500.00
Conspiracy 2nd

Arraigned at JP2 and released on $31,000.00 unsecured bond.

Resume:
Seaford, DE- The Delaware State Police in cooperation with the United States Secret Service and United States Postal Inspection Service has arrested three people in connection with a "Nigerian Scam."

The investigation began back on February 7, 2013 after detectives with the Financial Crimes Unit out of Troop 4 in Georgetown received information from Marion Police Department in Iowa about some stolen property that had been shipped to an address in Delaware. Detectives then obtained a search warrant of the house located in the 8000 block of Garden Lane and upon execution were unable to locate the property in question. The homeowner was questions about any packages that arrived at the house and informed the investigators that Vinod Singh had met with a FedEx delivery person and signed for the packages earlier that day.

Detectives then responded to a residence on Baker Mill Road in Seaford where Singh actually resides. He was contacted and questioned about the packages and provided information about receiving a phone call about a job opportunity after posting a resume online. His job was to pick up two packages, which contained IPods, IPhones, jewelry, and approximately $15,000.00 in cash, that was to be delivered to an address on Garden Lane and then continue to send them on to another undetermined address, and, at that time, he would receive cash for his services. Singh then conspired with his niece Terretta Lassiter and her boyfriend, Thaddeus Bolden, after bringing the packages to their house, to wire the enclosed money to the employer in Nigeria.

Through the investigation it was also determined that the U.S. Postal Inspection Service had been alerted back in February of 2013 regarding an identity theft and credit card account takeover after Bank of America credit cards were being fraudulently issued to an address in the 8000 block of Garden Lane in Seaford. The suspects would impersonate the card holder, and using stolen information of the account holder request a new card be sent to the Seaford address. Upon receipt of the new card, the suspect, who was later identified as Vinod Singh, would make numerous cash advances at local banks and casinos totaling more than $50,000.00.

Vinod Singh, Terretta L. Lassiter, and Thaddeus E. Bolden were all arrested at Troop 4 on Monday August 26, 2013 upon the conclusion of the joint investigation and released on unsecured bonds.

The homeowner at the Garden Lane address was unaware of any of the illegal acts being conducted and had no involvement in the crimes in any way.