PORTLAND, Maine (AP) — Authorities say a medical student in Maine stole the identities of more than 80 people nationwide, taking $85,000 from banks that was spent on items such as designer shoes and flowers sent to women in three states.

Olumide Pidan of Nigeria, was charged June 29 in federal court with bank fraud and aggravated identity theft. Pidan was living in Portland and studying at Saint Joseph College in 2007 when he allegedly committed the crimes, the Portland Press Herald reported.

U.S. Postal Service investigators say Pidan admitted to using Social Security numbers and birth dates to set up checking, savings and credit card accounts at Bank of America. He’s accused of inflating the credit limits in those accounts by making fraudulent cash deposits, then transferring cash to himself.


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