HIGH SPRINGS ‒ A High Springs man is facing an unprecedented 2,065 felony charges after allegedly orchestrating an extensive identity theft scheme that defrauded his former colleague, a first responder, and others out of hundreds of thousands of dollars. Nicholas Reed Wilson, 44, was arrested Monday, Oct. 28, and charged with 2,023 counts of fraudulent use of a first responder’s identity, along with 40 additional felonies, including organized fraud and racketeering.
The investigation began after the victim, who previously worked with Wilson at SEI & Company, discovered an American Express credit card account opened in his name without his consent. Using the victim’s personal information, Wilson allegedly opened four credit cards tied to the account, incurring over $347,000 in charges. Records from American Express reportedly show 2,023 unauthorized transactions across these cards, including 78 on a card issued in the victim's name that he claims he never possessed.
The victim, a former law enforcement officer and designated first responder, told deputies he began receiving calls from American Express in 2023 about unpaid debts, sparking concerns of identity theft. He linked the account to Wilson, who, as President and Treasurer of SEI & Company, allegedly had access to his personal information. SEI & Company, where both men had worked, dissolved in 2023, yet Wilson purportedly retained his authority over the company’s business dealings.
Upon investigation, deputies found that although the victim’s name, birthdate, and Social Security number were used to open the credit card account, Wilson’s phone number and email address were listed as contact information. Additionally, two other individuals tied to SEI & Company had also received cards under the same account. One of these individuals, a woman who was issued a card by Wilson, claimed she was instructed to use it for both personal and business expenses, assuming it was a legitimate company account. She has since filed separate fraud charges against Wilson, alleging he used her information without permission to open a business account with Sherwin Williams, leaving her with a debt of nearly $187,000.
The second individual associated with the account stated that he used the card for business expenses but could not recall who provided it to him.
Wilson has a history of financial misconduct, including a deferred prosecution agreement from a 2018 charge related to a false financial document, as well as six lawsuits filed against him and SEI & Company for unpaid debt. When deputies reached Wilson by phone, he reportedly claimed the American Express issue was "resolved" and that the victim had agreed to the account. However, Wilson could not produce any contract verifying this claim and declined further questions after his arrest.
Alachua County Judge Meshon Rawls set Wilson’s bail at $100,000 for the organized fraud and racketeering charges, with an additional $50,000 for charges linked to the second victim. Wilson was released on his own recognizance for the remaining 2,061 charges.
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Email cwalker@
alachuatoday.com
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