Personal information on nearly 6,000 people is found in a Gwinnett County woman's home.  Authorities say they have busted an identity theft ring that may stretch across the nation.

Duluth police arrested Annette Ford after detectives found stacks of documents containing names, dates of birth and Social Security numbers inside her home.

In addition to papers detailing personal information, Detective Fran Foster tells Channel 2 Action News $170,000 in cash was found inside Ford's home.  "This paperwork, these mounds of documents, were just laid out all over the house," said Foster. "Treasury checks, Social Security checks, refund checks, income tax returns."

Ford is being held in the Gwinnett County jail.  She is charged with two counts of first-degree forgery, two counts of theft by receiving and financial identity fraud.

Some 5,799 potential identity theft victims are being contacted and detectives say there could be more.  Also, some of the people listed on the notepads are dead.

Police say Ford owned a business called E-Pro Tax Service that was registered with the secretary of state's office.  It was a check-cashing business and police say they haven't received any prior complaints.

The investigation is ongoing, but authorities do not believe Ford acted alone.