NEW ORLEANS, LA – A sophisticated card-skimming operation targeting unsuspecting customers has landed a Brazilian national in federal court. Herik Lucian Enedino Dos Santos, age 32, pleaded guilty yesterday to aggravated identity theft, admitting his role in a scheme that stretched from the streets of New Orleans to Oklahoma City. The bust, a coordinated effort by multiple law enforcement agencies, reveals a growing threat of international criminal networks exploiting American financial systems.
The scheme unraveled on August 3, 2017, when members of the Louisiana Financial Crimes Task Force raided a hotel in New Orleans’ Algiers neighborhood. Dos Santos and three other Brazilian nationals were caught red-handed with a cache of illegally re-encoded credit cards – cards loaded with stolen debit card information ripped from real people. The haul didn’t stop there. Authorities also seized embossers, encoders, ATM skimmers, and a trove of false identification, painting a clear picture of a well-organized and determined criminal enterprise.
Federal investigators quickly linked the New Orleans crew to a supplier operating out of Oklahoma City. U.S. Secret Service agents there arrested another Brazilian national who was actively mailing the tools of the trade – skimmers, pinhole cameras, and other crucial components for credit card fraud – to the four members operating in Louisiana. This connection highlights the logistical complexity and international reach of these types of crimes, making them particularly difficult to dismantle.
Dos Santos now faces a mandatory minimum sentence of two years in federal prison. Beyond incarceration, he’s looking at one year of supervised release and a hefty financial penalty: a $250,000.00 fine, or a sum equivalent to twice the gross gain or twice the gross loss resulting from his criminal activity – whichever is greater. U.S. District Judge Sarah S. Vance has scheduled his sentencing for August 22, 2018.
U.S. Attorney Duane A. Evans lauded the collaborative efforts of the Louisiana Financial Crimes Task Force, a team comprised of the U.S. Secret Service, the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, the Louisiana Attorney General’s Office, the Jefferson Parish Sheriff’s Department, and the New Orleans Police Department. Evans also extended thanks to the U.S. Secret Service Oklahoma City Field Office and the Midwest City, OK Police Department for their crucial assistance in cracking the case.
Assistant United States Attorney Matthew Payne is leading the prosecution, promising to see this case through to its conclusion. This conviction serves as a stark reminder that federal agencies are actively combating financial crimes and will pursue those who seek to profit from the theft of personal information. The Grimy Times will continue to follow this case and report on any further developments.
Related Federal Cases
- New Orleans Woman Sentences for Stealing $2.5M via Wire Fraud · Oklahoma
- Bob G. Dean Jr., Neglect of Nursing Home Residents, Louisiana, 2023 · Texas
- 23andMe, Data Auction Without Consent, New York NY, 2023 · Kentucky
- Live Nation, Antitrust Lawsuit, New York NY, 2024 · Oregon
- 23andMe, Selling Genetic Data Without Consent, New York, 2023 · Kentucky
Key Facts
- Agency: U.S. Secret Service
- Category: Fraud & Financial Crimes
- Source: Official Press Release
Get the grimiest stories delivered weekly. Subscribe free
Browse More
MORE FEDERAL CRIME NEWS
US NewsUS NewsUS NewsUS News