Sussex Man Stole Coworkers Identities and Racked up $90,000 in Credit Card Debt

A Sussex man was sentenced to 4 years in prison for stealing his former coworker’s identity and racking up $90,000 in credit card debt under their name.  

Michael Hanan of Sussex, Wisconsin was sentenced to 4 years’ imprisonment and 3 years supervised release for identity theft and credit card fraud.

In September of 2016, Hanan pleaded guilty to one count of access-device fraud, in violation of 18 United States Code, and one count of aggravated identity theft, in violation of 18 United States Code.

Until earlier this year, Hanan worked as a Human Resources Labor Relations Specialist for the Forest Service, part of the U.S. Department of Agriculture.

In that position, he had access to current and former Forest Service employees’ personal identifying information.

Beginning in approximately February of 2016, Hanan began using the personal information of current and former Forest Service employees to open retail credit cards in the names of those employees and their family members.

He also used the personal information of his own family members to do the same.

Hanan opened dozens of credit cards affiliated with Meijer and K-Mart / Sears stores, and used those cards to purchase items such as pre-paid gift cards, personal-grooming products, and food items. Hanan did not pay those credit card balances, and caused over $90,000 in actual losses.

Hanan was initially arrested on charges of identity theft and credit-card fraud on May 5, 2016. While awaiting trial, he was released on conditions imposed by the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Wisconsin. Hanan continued to commit identity theft and fraud while on pre-trial release and repeatedly violated the conditions of his release.

In October of 2016, Hanan’s brother, Daniel W. Hanan, pleaded guilty to conspiring with Michael Hanan to corruptly obstruct Michael Hanan’s criminal proceedings, in violation of 18 United States Code, Section 1512. Daniel W. Hanan is currently awaiting sentencing.

This case was investigated by the Office of the Inspector General for the U.S. Department of Agriculture, the Greenfield Police Department, the U.S. Postal Service, and the Waukesha County Sheriff’s Department. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Rebecca Taibleson and Carol Kraft.