Fort Bend County Sheriff’s Office detectives have arrested five members of a group that has used a large number of credit cards and credit card numbers either stolen or purchased on the Internet to commit fraud.
In late April, the Organized Crime Squad received a tip that the Cuban group – most members blood related – had obtained the numbers through dump sites – most likely from out of the country – on the Internet.
Once the numbers were secured, new credit cards were produced.
With new cards in hand, “buyers” would go to stores such as Wal-Mart and Target and purchase large amounts of gift cards ranging in value from $50 to $200. The cards then would be sold on the street at discounted prices.
On June 9, detectives obtained a search and arrest warrant for a residence in the Mission Glen subdivision. In the home, they found four separate rooms set up with embossing machines, devices used to encode fraudulent information onto the new credit cards and computers.
About $8,000 in cash was seized along with flash drives and discs containing thousands of stolen credit card numbers and more than 900 re-encoded cards.
During the investigation, detectives learned the group also was involved in stealing diesel fuel with fraudulent cards. The purchases were made under $100 so the cards would not be flagged. The diesel then was sold at construction sites and trucking companies at a reduced price.
Two pickups seized contained modified fuel bladders located in the beds and not visible unless standing beside the pickups. The trucks were equipped with pumps, regulators and meters.
Estimated loss on both operations is around $500,000. However, with further investigation, it may top the $1 million mark.
Arrested at the house were Anet Valero-Morejon, 37; Blanca Valero-Morejon, 38 and Maikel Valdes-Amaro, 30. Arrested later were Anna Lizeth Torres, 25 and Livan Tagle Moya, 39.
All are facing charges of engaging in organized criminal activity, including fraudulent possession and use of identifying information.
Fort Bend sheriff’s deputies are been working with the Stafford Police Department as well as investigators with Discover Card Service and Murphy USA.
Good job. Off with their hands.
Sure is good to see you boys busting up some of these theft rings.