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Tampa Man Guilty of ID Theft and Credit Card Conspiracies
A Tampa man has been found guilty of multiple identity theft and credit card fraud conspiracies, according to federal authorities.
Yannier Arias was convicted of 17 counts of conspiracy, aggravated identity theft, and access device fraud, following a federal jury trial in Tampa. He faces a maximum penalty of 5 years in federal prison on the conspiracy charges and 10 years’ imprisonment on the access device fraud, followed by 2 years on the aggravated identity theft charges. His sentencing hearing is scheduled for August 9, 2016. Arias was indicted on August 27, 2015.
According to evidence presented at trial, Arias first conspired with Dariel Sardinas Lopez, another Tampa man, to “skim” credit card numbers from identity theft victims at various gas stations in Hillsborough, Pinellas, and Sarasota counties; produce counterfeit credit cards encoded with that stolen account information; and then use those counterfeit cards to make thousands of dollars of fraudulent purchases in Florida and Michigan. After Lopez was arrested, Arias entered a second conspiracy with Jose Ojeda Vera, another Tampa man. It again involved the use of counterfeit cards encoded with the account information of identity theft victims to make similar purchases, including at luxury retailers such as Versace, Armani, and Louis Vuitton. All of the victims still had their cards in their possession when they learned that their accounts had been unlawfully used.
The case was investigated by the United States Secret Service Financial Investigative Strike Team (FIST) and the Florida Department of Law Enforcement. It was tried by Assistant United States Attorneys Kelley Howard-Allen and Eric K. Gerard.
Arias’ conviction is a significant blow to identity thieves and credit card scammers operating in the Tampa area. The case highlights the importance of collaboration between law enforcement agencies in preventing and investigating financial crimes.
As a result of the investigation, authorities were able to recover thousands of dollars in stolen funds and bring Arias to justice. The case serves as a reminder to consumers to be vigilant about protecting their personal and financial information.
Key Facts
- State: Florida
- Category: Fraud & Financial Crimes|White Collar Crime|Crime
- Source: DOJ Press Release â†â€â€
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