LOUISVILLE, KY – A widespread credit card skimming operation targeting gas stations across Metro Louisville has been cracked, exposing over 7,000 compromised accounts and a potential loss exceeding $3.5 million. Federal prosecutors announced today the culmination of a multi-agency investigation, stretching across Kentucky, Ohio, and Indiana, that has led to charges against eight individuals.
The scheme involved the installation of sophisticated skimming devices *inside* gas pumps at convenience stores located on Highway 42 in Prospect, Taylorsville Road, Bardstown Road, Saint Andrews Church Road, Galeen Drive, Shelbyville Road, and LaGrange Road. These devices illegally captured credit and debit card numbers as unsuspecting customers fueled up. The stolen information was then transferred onto cloned cards, effectively allowing the criminals to drain victims’ accounts.
“Today, the United States Attorney’s Office is joined by the FBI, Secret Service, Louisville Metro Police and nearly 30 law enforcement agencies to send a unified message to those who plant credit card skimming devices in the Western District of Kentucky: you will be caught and you will be prosecuted,” stated United States Attorney Russell M. Coleman. The investigation, a collaborative effort involving nearly 30 agencies, underscores the growing sophistication of these financial crimes and the need for coordinated law enforcement response.
Misael Jose Fernandez Campos, indicted May 3, 2016, has already pleaded guilty to all 16 counts against him, admitting to manufacturing the skimming devices between February 2015 and March 2016. Campos confessed to installing the devices and later collecting them, re-encoding the stolen data onto fraudulent cards. He awaits sentencing. Five other defendants were charged August 17, 2017, with the remaining two facing trial dates in January 2018. All eight defendants face charges including possession of device making equipment, conspiracy to commit mail and bank fraud, money laundering, wire and bank fraud, and the mandatory minimum of 24 months consecutive imprisonment for aggravated identity theft. There is no parole in the federal system.
The FBI’s Special Agent in Charge, Amy S. Hess, warned, “As advances in technology influence almost every aspect of our daily lives, it is important to remember these same advances allow the unscrupulous to prey on unsuspecting members of the public.” The Secret Service’s Special Agent in Charge, Richard Ferretti, highlighted the success of the Electronic Crimes Task Force, emphasizing the “extraordinary work of our investigators and our close cooperation with our law enforcement partners.”
Federal authorities have provided compromised card numbers to banks and financial institutions. While the full scope of the damage is still being assessed, the investigation represents a significant blow to a criminal network exploiting vulnerable consumers. The U.S. Attorney’s Office has not released the names of the remaining defendants at this time, citing ongoing legal proceedings.
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Key Facts
- Agency: U.S. Secret Service
- Category: Fraud & Financial Crimes
- Source: Official Press Release
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