Justices Appear Ready to Limit Breadth of Identity Theft Law (1)

The US Supreme Court seemed likely to narrow the scope of a law that allows the federal government to tack on aggravated identity theft charges when someone else’s name is used in committing crimes such as healthcare fraud.

Several of the justices, including Justices Neil Gorsuch and Brett Kavanaugh, appeared concerned during arguments Monday that interpreting the Identity Theft Penalty Enhancement Act as broadly as the federal government argues it should be read would trap the unwary. The law carries a mandatory two-year prison sentence.

Kavanaugh noted the court has rejected the broadest interpretation of federal criminal statutes based on ...