High Springs man charged with over 2000 counts of fraudulent use of a first responder’s identity

Staff report

HIGH SPRINGS, Fla. – Nicholas Reed Wilson, 44, was arrested yesterday and charged with 2,023 counts of fraudulent use of a first responder’s identity and 40 other felony charges after allegedly fraudulently creating a credit card account in the name of a first responder, resulting in over $347,000 in fraudulent charges.

The victim told an Alachua County Sheriff’s Deputy that he left his job at SEI & Company in 2019; the company was dissolved in 2023. At the time the victim worked for SEI & Company, he was a sworn law enforcement officer and thus a first responder.

The deputy reported that an American Express Card account was opened in June 2020 with four credit cards, using the victim’s name, date of birth, and social security number. The victim said he learned about the cards in 2023, when he started receiving numerous phone calls from American Express and then a debt collector. Because the business name was on the cards, the victim told the deputy he believed Wilson was involved because he’d had previous issues with Wilson using his personal information. According to the Florida Division of Corporations, Wilson is listed as the President and Treasurer of SEI & Company.

A subpoena was issued to American Express, and the deputy learned that the victim’s personal identifying information was used to open the account; however, the phone number and email address were reportedly associated with Wilson.

Documents from American Express showed that four cards were issued under the account; one to the victim, one to Wilson, and two to other individuals associated with SEI & Company. Statements showed 2,023 fraudulent purchases made with the cards, including 78 purchases on the card in the victim’s name, which the victim said he never possessed. The deputy reported that $347,256.12 in goods and services were purchased with the cards.

One of the other individuals associated with SEI & Co. reportedly said Wilson gave her the card and encouraged her to use it as her primary payment method for both business and personal purchases. She said she believed the card was obtained legitimately and had no idea the victim’s name was used to open the account. This second victim has also filed charges against Wilson, alleging that he fraudulently used her personal identifying information and forged her signature to open a business account with Sherwin Williams, leading to an unpaid debt of almost $187,000. Wilson has been charged with fraudulent use of the personal identification information of another individual and fraud to obtain property valued at over $50,000 in that case.

The other individual associated with SEI & Co. reportedly said he could not remember who gave him the card, but he used it for business expenses and did not question how it was obtained.

The deputy reported that Wilson has a pattern of similar behavior, including the allegation above, a deferred prosecution agreement on a 2018 charge of uttering a false instrument, and six lawsuits filed against him and SEI & Company for unpaid debt.

The deputy spoke with Wilson by phone and reported that Wilson said the American Express issue had been resolved and that the victim had agreed with the entire thing; he said he had a contract that would corroborate this. However, after Wilson was arrested, he reportedly refused to answer any questions, and the contract has reportedly not been produced.

Because there are multiple victims, Wilson is being charged with organized fraud and racketeering on top of 38 counts of fraudulent use of a credit card and 2,023 counts of criminal use of the personal identifying information of a first responder, along with charges of fraudulent use of the personal identification information of another individual and fraud to obtain property valued at over $50,000 against the second victim – a total of 2,065 felony charges.

Wilson has no criminal history because he successfully completed a deferred prosecution agreement in the 2018 case. Judge Meshon Rawls set bail at $100,000: $50,000 on the organized fraud and racketeering charges and $50,000 on the charges associated with the second victim. Judge Rawls ordered that he be released on his own recognizance on the other 2,061 felony charges.

Articles about arrests are based on reports from law enforcement agencies. The charges listed are taken from the arrest report and/or court records and are only accusations. All suspects are innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.