Francisco Santillan Arellano, 36, pleaded guilty on Friday to charges of conspiracy to make and sell fraudulent Social Security cards

Arellano, also known as “El Padrino” (The Godfather), was the head of a fraudulent document manufacturing and sales ring that distributed its products to illegal aliens. He admitted to law enforcement authorities he employed at least 17 people in metro Atlanta to run the fraudulent document business for at least two or three years prior to his arrest on March 25. The ring operated at least two document labs at apartments in the Forest Park and Lindbergh-Buford Highway areas. Arellano admitted the ring sold about 90 sets of fraudulent documents every week.Francisco Santillan Arellano, 36, pleaded guilty on Friday to charges of conspiracy to make and sell fraudulent Social Security cards, permanent resident cards (green cards) and driver’s licenses, and to identification document fraud and aggravated identity theft.Arellano was indicted in April 2008. He pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy, one count of identification document fraud, and one count of aggravated identity theft. He could receive a maximum sentence of 12 years in prison and a fine of up to $750,000. He is subject to a mandatory minimum sentence of at least two years in federal prison.“In many cases, the fraudulent documents contained the Social Security numbers and Alien Registration numbers of real U.S. citizens and legal immigrants to whom they had been lawfully issued,” U.S. Attorney David E. Nahmias said. “In using these numbers, these defendants acted with callous disregard for the rights of law abiding citizens and residents of this country.”