Noe Reina De La Cruz, 9 Others Busted in $1.5M Identity Theft Ring

More than $1.5 million in stolen identities, luxury purchases, and shell companies — the federal takedown of a multi-state identity theft and credit card fraud ring culminated this week with the final two defendants sentenced in Miami. At the center of the operation: Noe Reina De La Cruz, 28, of Doral, Florida, and Raul Gil-Rodriguez, 36, formerly of Paramus, New Jersey, both handed 97 months in prison as the ringleaders of a criminal enterprise that exploited personal data for Rolex watches, Lasik surgery, and high-end real estate.

The gang, made up of 10 defendants — including Ney Antonio Lopez De La Cruz, 25, of Doral; Domingo Reyes, 41, formerly of Doral and New York; Yousef Michi, 35, of New York; Esteban Ochoa, 35; Vantroy Sanchez, 40; Jeffrey Batista, 28; Carlos David Franco, 32, of Miami; and Pedro De La Cruz, 49, all of New York — systematically stole personal identifying information to open unauthorized credit card accounts. These accounts were then used to fund lavish spending sprees: designer shoes, electronics, international travel, spa services at Acqualina Resort, and even elective medical procedures.

Noe Reina De La Cruz personally charged $14,065 on a Citibank card issued to victim “E.R.” for a Rolex watch on March 30, 2017. Days later, on May 11, he used another stolen card under the name “S.D.,” linked to victim “D.A.,” to rack up $1,299 in charges at the Acqualina Resort and Spa. Raul Gil-Rodriguez used a Citibank account ending in 2766, issued to victim “P.L.,” to pay approximately $5,000 for eye surgery on May 12, 2017. The fraud was not just for show — it was structural, sustained, and ruthlessly efficient.

Investigators uncovered that stolen electronics — including Apple devices and Nest thermostats — were resold for cash, checks, or wire transfers to Yousef Michi and Carlos David Franco, who funneled the proceeds into Royal Elite Investments Corp., a shell company controlled by Noe Reina De La Cruz, and other entities operated by Gil-Rodriguez. The laundering pipeline was clean, cold, and designed to vanish the trail of stolen money.

U.S. District Judge Marcia G. Cooke handed down the final sentences to Gil-Rodriguez and Reyes, closing the case. Sentences ranged from probation for one defendant to 97 months for De La Cruz and Gil-Rodriguez. All were ordered to pay restitution, special assessments, and forfeiture judgments totaling more than $1.5 million. The judgment is not just punitive — it’s a public ledger of the cost of their crimes.

Ariana Fajardo Orshan, U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Florida, credited ICE-HSI agents in Miami and New York for dismantling the network. Assistant U.S. Attorney Lisa H. Miller led the prosecution, while Nalina Sombuntham and Nicole Grosoff handle ongoing asset forfeiture. Court records are available via the Southern District of Florida’s public docket at www.flsd.uscourts.gov or pacer.flsd.uscourts.gov.