Fla. Man Pretended To Be Member of Wu-Tang Clan in Fraud Scheme

Aaron-Barnes-Burpo from Crestview was one of two men charged with conspiracy to commit wire fraud and aggravated identity theft

WPMI-TV / Richmond County, GA Sheriff's Office

A North Florida man found himself behind bars after he was accused of using stolen credit cards for luxury car and hotel rentals while pretending to be part of legendary rap group the Wu-Tang Clan.

NBC affiliate WPMI-TV reports that 28-year-old Aaron-Barnes-Burpo from Crestview was one of two men charged with conspiracy to commit wire fraud and aggravated identity theft in a Georgia federal court.

According to the arrest report, Barnes-Burpo helped organize a group of people to act like members of the iconic ensemble and use stolen credit cards to rent everything from luxury limousines to hotel rooms in cities like Atlanta and Nashville.

A staff member at a hotel in Augusta, Georgia, reportedly became suspicious of the group and notified authorities, which led to an FBI investigation and eventual arrests.

β€œThe arrests should serve as a warning that no matter how elaborate fraud schemes are, the FBI is determined to protect American citizens who fall victim to them,” special agent in charge of FBI Atlanta Chris Hacker said.

The real Wu-Tang Clan formed in Staten Island, New York, in 1992 and includes such iconic performers as Method Man, RZA and Ghostface Killah.

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