Competition in fake ID business turns deadly

Chicago’s fake ID business has become “competitive and violent,” according to federal charges filed this week. One fake ID business in the area generates profits of $2 million to $3 million a year, but the business turned deadly for one of the organization members who apparently stole computer equipment and software to start their own fake ID business in Indiana.

Federal agents arrested Julio Leija-Sanchez, a leader of the Chicago business, for allegedly paying $3,000 and conspiring with others to kill two of the fledgling competitors known as “Montes” and “Bruno.” Another man allegedly executed Montes, shooting him 15 times in an effort to portray his murder as a robbery. Leija-Sanchez was charged with one count of conspiracy to commit murder outside the United States.

A dozen pages of an ICE affidavit detailed a series of telephone calls in which Leija-Sanchez discussed killing Montes and Bruno. The conversations were among numerous calls that agents intercepted pursuant to court-authorized wiretaps during the final months of the investigation which ICE began in late 2003, code-named Operation Paper Tiger.

Twenty-two defendants were charged with participating in a 3-year conspiracy to illegally produce identification documents, authentication features and false identification documents. Twelve of the defendants were arrested in Chicago. Ten others are fugitives, including four believed to be in Mexico.