Cuban Nationals Sentenced for Stolen Account Numbers in Illinois

The grimy world of cybercrime took a hit as Eriberto Ricardo Gomez, 42, and Yasmanis L. Oduardo Fonseco, 28, both Cuban Nationals residing in Houston, Texas, were sentenced to two years in federal prison for their role in a sophisticated identity theft scheme.

United States Attorney Donald S. Boyce announced the sentences on March 2, 2017, in Benton, IL. The duo’s misdeeds were uncovered during a traffic stop in Madison County, Illinois, in October 2015, where they possessed over 100 re-encoded gift cards, with account numbers linked to Pennsylvania customers.

Both Gomez and Fonseco admitted their fraudulent activities at Walmart stores across Arkansas and Manchester, MO. Their downfall included not just the gift cards but a computer containing 301 stolen bank and credit card numbers. An MSR X6 credit card re-encoder was found on Gomez’s person.

‘These types of crimes are all too frequent,’ stated U.S. Attorney Boyce. ‘Our office will pursue federal prison sentences for anyone engaging in such activities.’

The FBI, Springfield Division, and local law enforcement agencies, including the Caseyville and Pontoon Beach Police Departments, collaborated to crack down on this cybercriminal duo. Walmart’s Global Security Department also played a significant role in the investigation.

Assistant United States Attorney Scott A. Verseman prosecuted the case, ensuring justice for the victims of this identity theft scheme.

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