Attorney General's News Release

June 15, 2007

Nixon sets record straight on arrests carried out as part of joint federal-state investigation into alleged ID theft ring

Jefferson City, Mo. — Attorney General Jay Nixon today sent a letter to Gov. Matt Blunt to set the record straight on misstatements by the Governor’s chief of staff. Blunt chief of staff Ed Martin made the misstatements in a June 13 letter critical of federal and state agents who earlier that day carried out the arrest of a recently fired Department of Social Services employee. The woman faces federal charges of identity theft and conspiracy to commit fraud.

The arrest of Robin Deardorff in Kansas City involved an agent from the U.S. Secret Service, the U.S. Postal Inspector, and the Missouri Attorney General’s Office. The prosecution of all seven defendants named in the federal indictment will be handled by the U.S. Attorney for the Western District of Missouri. In addition to Deardorff, two other defendants had been employed by the Missouri Department of Revenue, where it is alleged they conspired to steal Missourians’ information as part of an identity theft ring.

Read Attorney General Nixon's letter to Matt Blunt

Inquiries from consumers should be directed to consumer@ago.mo.gov or 1-800-392-8222 (from within Missouri) or 573-751-3321 (outside Missouri).

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