Bond Denied for Gwinnett Mother Annette Ford in Fraud Case

GWINNETT COUNTY, Ga. - A Gwinnett County judge denied bond on Friday for a mother whom police say carried out a major identity theft scheme from her home in Suwanee. Last month, detectives found counterfeit checks, thousands in cash and credit cards at Annette Ford's home.

Ford faces charges of identity theft, first-degree forgery, and theft by taking.

Police believe Ford was part of a major operation that used unsuspecting victim's personal information to collect thousands of dollars in fraudulent tax refunds. Prosecutors say that according to her 2010 tax retus, she only made about $10,000 in income, but they say about $180,000 in cash was found inside her home during a raid.

Prosecutors say more than 5,700 people may be victims of the operation. They say the victims have not been notified yet, but authorities will contact them once they sort out exactly what has been jeopardized for each individual victim.

They believe Ford made roughly $2.5 million by stealing social security checks, filing false tax retus and passing counterfeit checks. They say while Ford is the only person charged as of now, they believe at least six others will eventually be prosecuted

Ford will remain in jail while she awaits a trial date.