Undercover Investigation Leads to Forgery Charges for Counterfeit IDs

Two men were indicted Thursday for trafficking counterfeit Green Cards, Social Security cards, and other ID cards out of a Sunset Park, Brooklyn, bakery.

One of many counterfeit identification cards seized by police after an undercover investigation revealed a forging operation in Brooklyn, New York. Courtesy of the Office of the District Attorney, Kings County

Two men were indicted Thursday for trafficking counterfeit Green Cards, Social Security cards, and other ID cards out of a Sunset Park, Brooklyn, bakery. The crimes were discovered by a year-long undercover investigation conducted by the Department of Homeland Security.

Jose Mateo Castro, 56, and Leonel Escamiilo, 43, used equipment obtained online to manufacture cards that were virtually indistinguishable from the real thing, the office of the Attorney General for Kings County, Brooklyn, said in a statement.