Umar Graham, 29, of Buffalo, New York, has been indicted on several felony charges related to an alleged utility fraud scheme. Erie County District Attorney Michael J. Keane announced the indictment after Graham’s arraignment before Judge Suzanne Maxwell Barnes. The charges include two counts of Grand Larceny in the Second Degree, one count of Unlawful Possession of Personal Identification Information, and one count of Scheme to Defraud in the First Degree.
Prosecutors state that Graham operated a business called ‘Buffalo CPN.’ He is accused of marketing fraudulent Credit Privacy Numbers (CPNs) to people seeking to improve their credit or address outstanding utility bills. CPNs are numbers that can be fabricated or stolen Social Security Numbers, used illegally to create new credit identities.
The alleged activity occurred between February 1, 2024, and August 29, 2025. During this time, Graham is accused of defrauding more than ten people and causing about $136,000 in losses to National Fuel and National Grid. Authorities allege he possessed over 250 pieces of personal identifying information belonging to others, which were used to open fraudulent utility accounts…