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The Honolulu Advertiser
Posted on: Tuesday, September 9, 2003

Shoppers nabbed in credit-card fraud case

By Rod Ohira
Advertiser Staff Writer

Honolulu police said they have busted members of a Los Angeles-based ring who came here to purchase Rolex watches with fraudulent credit cards and counterfeit identification cards.

Police yesterday charged the accused ringleader, Donovan Johnson, 33, with various counts of credit-card fraud, credit-card theft, detention of stolen property and identity theft. He was being held in lieu of $100,000 cash bail, and will be arraigned this morning.

They also charged 37-year-old Warren Canada with various counts of forgery, identity theft and fraudulent use of a credit card. His bail was also $100,000 cash; he was expected to be arraigned this morning.

And police charged Christopher Myers, 35, with several counts of credit-card fraud, identity theft and forgery. His bail was set at $100,000 cash; arraignment is scheduled for this morning.

Detective Fred DeNault, who investigated the case with detectives Alan Togami and Gary Lahens, said the three men and a woman flew to Honolulu on Friday. The ringleader sent two men to separate jewelry stores at Ala Moana Center Friday night to purchase Rolex watches, said DeNault.

The 35-year-old man purchased a $7,000 Rolex using a credit card that police suspect was manufactured with stolen information. The second man, 37, attempted to buy a $13,000 Rolex with a credit card but was denied the sale when he signed the wrong name on the purchase slip.

The two men returned to buy watches on Saturday and one of them was arrested based on an alert put out by the stores.

The woman was not arrested.

Reach Rod Ohira at 535-8181 or rohira@honoluluadvertiser.com.