Indy Man Sentenced for Producing 30,000 Fake IDs

Source: Photo Courtesy of the Department of Justice / DOJ

INDIANAPOLIS — A young Indianapolis man is now facing three years of probation for selling about 30,000 fake IDs.

Yes, you read that number correctly. According to the Department of Justice (DOJ), the now-26-year-old James Watt produced the IDs between March of 2019 and February of 2023.

Source: Photo Courtesy of the Department of Justice / DOJ

He worked for a website that allowed people to order fake driver’s licenses and related items, and then pay with Bitcoin and other methods. Watt then mailed the IDs through the U.S. Postal Service.

It is not clear what happened to the website following Watt’s arrest, as he was not its operator. U.S.P.S. Acting Inspector in Charge Felicia George said his arrest did impact “a large-scale operation.”

This job ultimately earned him more than 14 Bitcoin, which was worth more than $1.3 million as of last month. But, it also got him a sentence for unlawful production and money laundering.