APRIL 24, 2000

ALLEGEDLY PHONY QUEENS VILLAGE COMPUTER COMPANY OWNER CHARGED WITH STEALING AND RESELLING COMPUTERS WORTH $110,000

Queens District Attorney Richard A. Brown announced today the arrest of a Queens Village man who allegedly stole over 60 computers by having them sent to an address which he falsely claimed was the location of a company for servicing and repairing computers and then reselling them to unsuspecting clients.

District Attorney Brown said that the defendant, Kenny Lindquist, also known as Ken Okechukwu Iwunwa, 26, currently of 6143 64^th Avenue Riverdale, Maryland, is charged with grand larceny, criminal possession of stolen property, and scheme to defraud. He faces up to 15 years in prison if convicted.

According to the District Attorney, the defendant allegedly ordered through a company he identified as Centerlink PC Inc, at 96-09 Springfield Boulevard, Jamaica, more than $110,000 worth of computers from Micron Electronics. Between November 19 and January 10, 2000, more than 60 computers were delivered to the Queens Village address under an agreement that they would be paid for within 30 days. Micron was told that the computers were to be used in a computer maintenance and repair business. When Micron tried to reach Centerlink in February, the telephone and fax numbers had been disconnected. It is alleged that the defendant sold the computers to a legitimate business, Basi International in Laurelton, claiming that his company had over ordered and needed to get rid of its surplus. In April, a phone call to Micron asking for service on a newly purchased machine led to the location of the missing computers. A consumer said that he had bought his computer which bore the registration number of one of the machines stolen from Micron at a trade show in Valley Forge Pennsylvania.

The District Attorney said that, "The defendant left Queens allegedly abandoning the Queens Village address with several months of rent owed and opened a company called Diversified Interchange Systems in Riverdale Maryland. In April the defendant allegedly again placed an order for computers with Micron this time claiming to operate as Diversified Interchange Systems. He was arrested trying to complete another sale of stolen computers to Basi International."

District Attorney Brown said, "Consumers and wholesalers alike can be taken in by this sort of unscrupulous behavior. Prompt registration of computer numbers is the surest protection from fraud. Our Economic Crimes Bureau and our newly formed Computer and Advanced Technology Crimes Bureau are continuing to investigate the thefts from Micron."

The investigation was conducted by Detective Pat Dolan of the 105^th Precinct together with investigators from the US Postal Service and the United States Secret Service. For consumers who believe that they may have purchased a stolen computer Micron has a toll free number (877)404-2662.

Assistant District Attorney John A. Scarpa of District Attorney Brown's Economic Crimes Bureau, under the supervision of Bureau Chief Brian J. Mich, will prosecute the case.

It is to be noted that a charge is merely an accusation and a defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty.