Related Federal Cases
- Michael B. Becher, Methamphetamine Trafficking and Credit Card Fraud, Missouri 2022 · Kansas
- Sheri L. Reeves, Aiding $565,000 Interstate Theft, Missouri 2020 · Tennessee
- Bryson Whiteside, Aggravated Identity Theft, Missouri 2022 · Idaho
- Lakisha Williams, Credit Card Fraud, New Orleans LA, 2022 · New York
- Jeffery Joseph, Credit Card Fraud, Louisiana 2021 · New York
Credit Card Thief Pleads Guilty in Cross-Country Crime Spree
ST. LOUIS – In a shocking display of brazen theft, Rene Arviso Velasquez, a 51-year-old Chilean national, has admitted to stealing and using credit cards across the country.
According to court documents, Velasquez pleaded guilty to three counts of access device fraud and one count of aggravated identity theft in U.S. District Court in St. Louis.
The charges carry a potential penalty of up to 10 years in prison, a $250,000 fine, or both prison and a fine. Aggravated identity theft carries a penalty of two years in prison, consecutive to the other charges.
Velasquez’s crime spree left a trail of victims in its wake, with at least $47,000 stolen from unsuspecting individuals in the St. Louis area and across the country.
Three specific examples of Velasquez’s thievery were listed in the plea agreement. On Aug. 25, 2024, Velasquez stole a Lululemon belt bag from a victim at a restaurant in Cottleville, Missouri. Less than an hour later, he used the victim’s credit card to purchase five Visa gift cards and a pack of salted nuts for $1,031.
Just hours earlier, Velasquez had stolen a purse from a different victim at a Brentwood restaurant, using the stolen credit card to buy $1,445 worth of gift cards. On Nov. 3, 2024, Velasquez stole a woman’s wallet at a St. Peters restaurant, using one of her credit cards to buy five Visa gift cards and a Pepsi for $1035.
Velasquez, who has used the names Miguel Antonio Carrasco-Gomez and Henry Diaz, was living in Tarzana, California, but is a Chilean national. He is scheduled to be sentenced on Feb. 17, 2026.
The case was investigated by Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations, with Assistant U.S. Attorney Derek Wiseman prosecuting the case.
Key Facts
- State: Missouri
- Category: Cybercrime|White Collar Crime
- Source: DOJ Press Release â†â€â€
ðŸâ€Â’ Get the grimiest stories delivered weekly. Subscribe free →
