Chicago Identity Theft Federal Lawyer

If you’re on our website, it’s because you’re facing serious federal identity theft charges – and need the best possible defense.

At Spodek Law Group – we don’t sugarcoat things. Federal identity theft charges in Chicago are not some local situation you can shake off with probation. These are real federal cases with stacked prison sentences, mandatory enhancements, indictments signed by Assistant U.S. Attorneys out of the Dirksen Federal Courthouse, and teams of law enforcement agents who spent years building a case against you before you even knew it existed. We’ve sat in that building with clients who thought it would be a slap on the wrist, only to watch the judge impose 6, 8, even 9 years. This is not state-level fraud. In Chicago, the government treats identity theft like financial warfare.

Look, I’ll be straight with you about identity theft cases – federal prosecutors in Illinois will load up your indictment. They’ll hit you with 18 U.S.C. § 1028, § 1028A (Aggravated Identity Theft), sometimes 18 U.S.C. § 1343 (wire fraud), 18 U.S.C. § 1344 (bank fraud), and even 18 U.S.C. § 1341 (mail fraud). Plus they add conspiracy under 18 U.S.C. § 371, so every alleged act by others gets pinned on you too. It’s designed so you feel trapped, so you’ll plead out fast. That’s exactly why you need a lawyer who knows Chicago federal practice – not someone who’s only ever walked into state court in Cook County.

What Exactly is Federal Identity Theft?

The federal code, specifically 18 U.S.C. § 1028, criminalizes a wide range of activity. Producing fake IDs, transferring other people’s identifying information, using stolen Social Security numbers, or even just possessing “five or more” fake documents – any of these can bring a federal indictment. And then comes the hammer: under 18 U.S.C. § 1028A, aggravated identity theft requires an automatic two-year prison term. No probation, no suspended sentence, and it must run consecutively – meaning if you also get sentenced to 5 years for wire fraud, the court adds 2 more years on top, making it 7 total. Judges have no discretion. It’s mandatory.

In Chicago federal court, prosecutors almost always layer aggravated identity theft on top of another fraud count. They use it as leverage. They know defendants are terrified of mandatory time, so they push harder for pleas. We’ve defended indictments where half the counts were §1028A charges, filed just to box in the defense and drive up exposure.

Common question: “Is identity theft always a federal crime?” No. If it’s a simple local issue, state prosecutors in Illinois might charge it. But when it involves banks, credit unions, unemployment benefits, healthcare fraud, stolen IRS refunds, or U.S. mail—the feds swoop in. That is why Chicago has become a hotspot for major identity theft federal cases.

Chicago is a Federal Hotspot for Identity Theft Enforcement

I’m telling you, Chicago is ground zero. We’ve represented people in cases where the FBI Chicago Field Office, IRS Criminal Investigations, U.S. Postal Inspectors, and even the Secret Service were all in the same task force. This isn’t a “small” operation. These are multi-agency investigations, coordinated out of the Northern District of Illinois.

• A Chicago man, sentenced to 9 years for masterminding a mail-theft-driven identity theft conspiracy, prosecuted at the Dirksen United States Courthouse – downtown.
• We all saw Shango Johnson, a Chicago resident, plead guilty in 2025 to aggravated identity theft. The outcome? Years in federal prison.
• FDIC OIG in Chicago has coordinated with IRS-CI to target fraudsters connected to stolen tax refunds and fraudulent credit card rings.

We’ve handled identity theft cases that stretched across several federal agencies… look, the point is we win when it counts. Because when FBI, Secret Service, and IRS-CI are all aligned, the government is betting heavy. They invest in undercover buys, surveillance footage, digital forensics, tracing logins off IP addresses, and then they put it all in front of a grand jury. By the time you’re arrested, you’re already on the wrong side of a story the prosecutors think they’ve written in stone. It’s our job to rip that story apart.

Federal Agencies You Might Face in Chicago Identity Theft Cases

Many people think the FTC investigates. No – the FTC is only a reporting hub, a consumer watchdog. They don’t prosecute, they log complaints. Real federal enforcement in Chicago comes from:

• FBI Chicago Task Forces – leading large fraud investigations.
• IRS-CI – going after stolen tax refunds, unemployment scams, PPP identity abuse.
• U.S. Postal Inspectors – critical in mail theft-driven identity conspiracies.
• The U.S. Secret Service – the quiet but heavy hitter in large electronic access device fraud and ATM skimming cases.

Does the FTC investigate identity theft? No – absolutely not. The U.S. Attorney’s Office in Chicago does, with those agencies feeding them evidence. They prosecute aggressively. The FBI even placed identity theft suspects on their Most Wanted List, something you don’t usually see with financial crimes. That shows how seriously the feds treat it here.

Federal vs State Identity Theft in Illinois

Now, yes – Illinois has its own criminal identity theft statute. But let’s be clear. When the charges involve government benefits, Social Security, Treasury checks, interstate bank wires – the feds take over. The sentencing difference is massive. Illinois judges might hand out probation on a first-time case, but in federal court? You’re staring down U.S. Sentencing Guidelines that add levels for sophisticated means, number of victims, loss amount, and mandatory consecutive prison time for §1028A counts.

Real example: in Chicago, defendants have walked into state court for identity fraud and walked out with probation. The same conduct, when tied to stolen tax returns prosecuted federally, has triggered 5–7 years. It’s a totally different universe. Federal defense skills are non-negotiable here.

What Makes a Strong Defense in Chicago Federal Identity Theft Cases

So, what can we do? We attack the government’s case from every single angle:

• Challenging digital forensics – laptops, phones, servers seized during raids. Was the forensic imaging done properly? Was chain of custody broken? Did the data really prove “use” of someone else’s identity, or could it have been planted, misattributed, or simply on a shared device?
• Skepticism on intent – possession of data isn’t proof of fraudulent use. We’ve pushed back hard when prosecutors tried to assume malicious intent from circumstantial digital footprints.
• Unlawful searches – FBI agents sometimes seize way outside the scope of a search warrant. Any overreach can get evidence suppressed entirely.
• Negotiating strategically – sometimes the best move is forcing the U.S. Attorney to drop §1028A aggravated identity theft counts in exchange for a fraud plea, which removes mandatory consecutive time.

Defending these cases isn’t about finding one loophole. It’s about relentless analysis. The government comes in with terabytes of evidence, surveillance logs, undercover reports – and we pick it apart line by line. It’s overwhelming for most defense lawyers. But we thrive here. We’ve got 50 years of combined experience, and a “rock star” team that’s comfortable with financial fraud, cyber evidence, and trial strategy. That’s the difference: we don’t fear the case size, we dismantle it.

High Profile Cases Show the Stakes

You probably saw it: Netflix’s Inventing Anna. That was one of Todd Spodek’s actual clients – Anna Delvey, real name Anna Sorokin. It showed how high-stakes fraud and identity-based deception cases explode in the media, and how defense work becomes critical when every outlet is watching. Different facts, but the bottom line is the same: years in custody if the government wins.

Here in Chicago, people facing identity theft conspiracies have received 6, 7, even 9-year sentences. And once aggravated identity theft counts get stacked, judges have no choice but to impose longer terms. Prosecutors here treat these cases with the same intensity they bring against organized crime groups. That’s not an exaggeration, that’s reality in the Northern District of Illinois.

Why Hire a Chicago Federal Identity Theft Lawyer

If you’re being investigated or charged federally in Chicago – you cannot go with just any criminal lawyer. Most attorneys here are comfortable in state court, in Cook County or DuPage. But federal identity theft? That’s another level of legal practice, and another level of risk. You need to hire a law firm that gets it, that lives and breathes federal defense strategy.

At Spodek Law Group, our only loyalty is to you. Period. We don’t work for the government or “public opinion.” We work for one thing: your future. And we bring everything we’ve got to protect it. The prosecutors wouldn’t want us on the other side for a reason: we know their playbook, and we’re not intimidated by big cases.

• Nationwide federal defense – including Chicago’s Northern District of Illinois.
• 50 years combined experience – on complex fraud and identity theft cases.
• Rock star trial team – who actually fights, not just pleads you out.
• 24/7 availability – when a federal agent shows up with a subpoena, you don’t wait until Monday.

And let me be blunt: hesitation is dangerous in these cases. The sooner we get involved – before indictments drop, before raids lock in evidence – the more leverage we can build. Sometimes we’ve suppressed evidence entirely. Sometimes we’ve negotiated away mandatory aggravated identity theft counts. Sometimes we’ve gone all the way to trial. Point is: the earlier we’re in, the stronger your defense gets.

Call Spodek Law Group today. Protect your freedom. Build a real defense. Don’t face federal identity theft prosecutors in Chicago alone.