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California Man Pleads Guilty in Nationwide Food Delivery Fraud Scheme
Gustavo De Avila Moreira Farinha, a 30-year-old Brazilian national, pleaded guilty in a nationwide fraud and identity theft scheme that targeted app-based food delivery customers during the pandemic.
According to court documents, De Avila and his co-conspirators, all Brazilian nationals living in the United States illegally, operated a scheme to defraud major app-based rideshare and food delivery companies between 2018 and May 2021.
In Spring 2020, with the COVID-19 pandemic in full swing, the conspirators shifted away from the rideshare companies, which saw a dramatic decrease in traffic, to food, grocery, and other delivery companies, which saw a corresponding and significant increase in demand.
De Avila and his co-conspirators exploited the surge in demand by creating new driver accounts with stolen identities, collecting referral bonuses from the fraudulent accounts, and by using, renting, and selling the accounts to others on these platforms.
As of today, all five defendants in this case have admitted their elaborate scheme to steal the identities of hundreds of unsuspecting victims, many of whom turned to food delivery services to survive the pandemic.
De Avila pleaded guilty before U.S. Magistrate Judge Jill Burkhardt to wire fraud conspiracy, money laundering, and multiple aggravated identity theft charges.
Sentencing for De Avila is scheduled for August 29, 2022, at 8:30 a.m. before U.S. District Judge Gonzalo P. Curiel.
Key Facts
- State: California
- Category: Fraud & Financial Crimes
- Source: DOJ Press Release â†â€â€
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