Someone's gone missing

Accused VoIP Fraudster Sought As Fugitive

The feds issued an arrest warrant for Edwin Pena for violating his bail conditions. Investigators are searching for the man, who's been missing since last month.
Federal authorities say a Miami man facing computer and wire fraud charges for stealing VoIP services and selling them through his own company has fled, and a warrant has been issued for his arrest.

Edwin Pena, 23, was arrested June 7 for allegedly acting as a legitimate wholesaler of Internet-based phone services while actually running a sophisticated fraud. Federal investigators say he and a conspirator secretly hacked into the computer networks of unsuspecting Voice over IP (VoIP) telephone service providers, including one Newark, NJ.-based company, to route his customers' calls.

Pena allegedly stole and then sold more than 10 million minutes of service at deeply discounted rates, netting more than $1 million from the scheme.

A little more than a month ago, Pena failed to meet his bail conditions. After his initial arrest, he had been placed under pretrial release supervision. Out on a $100,000 bond, Pena's travel had been restricted to the Southern District of Florida and the District of New Jersey.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Erez Liebermann called Pena a fugitive. "We have leads we're investigating," he says. The government had been waiting to find out if Pena would plead out, or if the case would go to trial.