Three Charged With Credit Card Fraud in Brick Township

Editor's note 6-24-16: In the ensuing time since the article below was published, Diana Hosten successfully completed pre-trial intervention procedures through the Ocean County Prosecutor's Office. Her case was dismissed, and all charges were dropped.

Three people from New York face a battery of charges in connection with a credit-card fraud case in Brick Township. One now also faces additional problems with U.S. Immigrations and Customs Enforcement (ICE).

Diana Hosten, 23, and Michael Maguet, 24, both of Brooklyn, and Jonathan Edouard, 21, of Middle Island, New York, are charged varoiusly with knowingly possessing a fraudulent driver's license, forgery, falsifying a credit application, credit card fraud, identity theft, forgery and conspiracy.

According to police, Hosten applied for and got a Best Buy credit card in the Howell store February 16, then used it to charge up some purchases. Employees who realized the ruse notified other nearby Best Buys.

Workers in the Brick Township store called police when a woman matching Hosten's description applied for a card there the same day. A township officer determined that Hosten was using a fake driver's license and social security number on the application.

Investigators learned of possible involvement by Maguet and Edouard and a car pursuit followed, ending on Cedarbridge Avenue near the Parkway on-ramp.

All three were placed in the Ocean County Jail in Toms River with bail for each set at $75,000. Police say they also learned that Hosten was also in the United States on an expired visa and notified ICE.