Phoenix business owner arrested for ID Theft and mortgage fraud - used dead persons SSN

In the following press release the Maricopa County Sheriff’s office announced that deputies executed search warrants this morning at the Phoenix based business Aracruz International Granite located at 2310 W. Sherman St. and at the business owner’s home in Anthem located at 42514 N. Bradon Ct.

Deputies received information through Sheriff Joe Arpaio’s illegal immigration hotline that Raphael Libardi, the co-owner of the business, is in the country illegally from Brazil and that he was using the social security number of a deceased person.

Libardi was booked on felony identity theft and mortgage fraud charges under suspicion of using the deceased person’s social security number to purchase two vehicles and two homes (one of which has been foreclosed on). Two adult children of Libardi’s, Ive Libardi (25) and Isac Libardi (20), were also arrested at the business for suspicion of being in the country illegally.

Aracruz International is a supplier of granite counter tops which employs between 15-20 people and is believed to generate about $1.9 million in annual sales.

During the execution of that warrant other employees, some of which were related to Libardi, were also found to be in the country illegally.  

It has been noted that Libardi has donated $5,000 annually to the Republican Congressional National Committee.

During the course of 21 employer sanctions investigations, the Sheriff’s Office has arrested 166 out of 262 illegal aliens for felony identity theft and forgery charges.

“Identity theft is a serious crime. Despite the fact that it seems the President of the United States and the U.S. Secretary of Homeland Security will shift their focus to only go after employers, I will continue to pursue all illegal aliens in business establishments who take away valuable jobs from U.S. citizens” Arpaio says.