PROVIDENCE, R.I. – Yvener Jean-Baptiste, 27, of Brooklyn, was sentenced to 24 months in federal prison and ordered to pay over $150,000 in restitution for using counterfeit credit cards to purchase gift cards from stores in Rhode Island in November 2013.
According to court documents, Jean-Baptiste pleaded guilty to one count each of credit card fraud and aggravated identity theft. He admitted to using counterfeit credit cards with actual account numbers belonging to other individuals to purchase gift cards totaling $172,661.09 at Target stores and a Wal-Mart store in Warwick.
The gift cards were then redeemed at stores in New York, where Jean-Baptiste received $200 for every $800 fraudulent transaction he conducted, prosecutors said. The investigation revealed that the gift cards were often redeemed on the same day or the day after being purchased in Rhode Island.
On November 30, 2013, Jean-Baptiste returned to the Target store in Lincoln, where he and another person had purchased $75,894.01 worth of Target gift cards using six counterfeit credit cards the previous day. He was arrested after Lincoln Police discovered ten counterfeit credit cards, a counterfeit driver’s license, and multiple Target gift cards inside his vehicle.
U.S. District Court Chief Judge William E. Smith also ordered Jean-Baptiste to serve 3 years’ supervised release upon completion of his prison term and to pay restitution to the retailers in the amount of $158,576.
The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Lee H. Vilker, and the investigation was conducted by the Lincoln Police Department and the U.S. Secret Service.
Yvener Jean-Baptiste’s guilty plea and subsequent sentencing are a victory for law enforcement and a reminder of the consequences of committing financial crimes in our community. We will continue to work tirelessly to bring those who engage in this type of activity to justice.
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Related Federal Cases
- Credit Card Fraud Ring Busted in Buffalo · Pennsylvania
- Rhode Island Man Caught in $172,661.09 Gift Card Scam · Rhode Island
- NY Man Charged in $8M Fraud & Money Laundering Scam · Rhode Island
- Bailey Nabbed in $98K Stamp Scam · Massachusetts
- Western Union Scam · Washington
Key Facts
- State: Rhode Island
- Category: Fraud & Financial Crimes
- Source: DOJ Press Release â†â€â€
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