WASHINGTON (JTA) — A Ghana man was arrested in an extortion attempt targeting a leading Jewish Democratic congressman.
Eric Kwame Ogbosu was arrested July 15 and charged with trying to extort money from U.S. Rep. Robert Wexler (D-Fla.) by threatening to give his Social Security number, as well as his wife’s, to identity thieves, according to media reports.
Ogbosu had called Wexler with the threat, and the congressman reported the call to the Secret Service and Capitol Police.
Since the arrest, several attempts reportedly have been made to open credit accounts with Wexler’s Social Security number.
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