Four members of an international fraud syndicate have been sentenced to federal prison for conspiracy to commit bank fraud and aggravated identity theft in connection with their scheme to manufacture and use fraudulent credit cards using the personally identifiable information of US-based individuals.
According to admissions made in connection with their guilty pleas, the defendants participated in a conspiracy that bought stolen personally identifiable information, credit card account information, and other financial information over the Internet from individuals located in Ukraine, Tajikistan, and Russia, among other countries. The stolen personally identifiable information and stolen credit card account information were then used to unlawfully manufacture fraudulent credit cards.
Participants in the fraud scheme traveled on multiple occasions from Mexico into the United States and used the fraudulent credit cards to purchase gift cards and high end merchandise, such as iPhones, laptop computers, and designer clothing, from retailers throughout Arizona and elsewhere in the United States. After purchasing merchandise and gift cards, the co-conspirators transported the unlawfully purchased merchandise and gift cards to Mexico for future sale and profit for scheme participants. The defendants admitted in their guilty pleas that they collectively possessed at least 5,684 fraudulent credit cards resulting in the loss of hundreds of thousands of dollars.
The defendants each pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit bank fraud and aggravated identity theft. Rey Martinez-Lopez, 33, of Hermosillo, Sonora, Mexico, was sentenced to four years and six months in prison, to be followed by five years of supervised release by U.S. District Judge Rosemary Marquez of the District of Arizona.
Judge Marquez sentenced the other three defendants to the following prison terms:
- On Sept. 29, Anwar Barragan Flores, 39, of Hermosillo, Sonora, Mexico, was sentenced to seven years in prison, to be followed by five years of supervised release.
- On Sept. 12, Jorge Williams-Araiza, 38, of Hermosillo, Sonora, Mexico, was sentenced to three years and two months in prison, to be followed by five years of supervised release.
- On Aug. 23, Javier Ramirez-Villegas, 36, of Hermosillo, Sonora, Mexico, was sentenced to four years in prison to be followed by five years of supervised release.
- The defendants’ restitution will be determined by the Court at a later hearing, which has not been scheduled yet.