Florida Man Heads to Prison for Debit Card Scam
A 35-year-old resident of Miami, Florida, has been sentenced for conspiracy to commit access device fraud and aggravated identity theft in the Houston area, announced U.S. Attorney Alamdar S. Hamdani.
Claude Casimir pleaded guilty on September 7, 2023, to his role in a scheme that targeted Houston banks from April to May 2019.
U.S. District Judge Charles Eskridge has now ordered Casimir to serve 30 months in federal prison to be immediately followed by 3 years of supervised release. At the hearing, the court heard additional arguments about the scheme and the defendant’s criminal history.
From April to May 2019, Casimir and others conspired in a scheme targeting the Houston area. The investigation began in early 2019 after a local bank discovered numerous fraudulent transactions. They found that individuals had used the personal identification numbers of actual bank customers and withdrew money via counterfeit cards.
At the time of the plea, Casimir admitted he rented a vehicle to access several ATMs in the Houston area and withdrew cash using counterfeit debit cards. He also drove another individual around the Houston area using the rented vehicle to do the same.
Additionally, Casimir admitted that on May 8, 2019, he used a debit card of another individual without that person’s knowledge or consent. In this single transaction, Casimir attempted to take $2,000.
Casimir will remain in custody pending transfer to a U.S. Bureau of Prisons facility to be determined in the near future.
The Secret Service conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Rodolfo Ramirez prosecuted the case.
Mandatory Facts:
1. Defendant Name: Claude Casimir
2. Criminal Charges: Conspiracy to commit access device fraud and aggravated identity theft
3. City and State: Houston, Texas
4. Exact Date: September 7, 2023 (sentencing)
5. Sentence: 30 months in federal prison followed by 3 years of supervised release
6. Dollar Amount: $2,000 (attempted fraud)
Key Facts
- State: Texas
- Category: Fraud & Financial Crimes
- Source: DOJ Press Release â†â€â€
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