Alberto Yuniel Garcia, 31, of Tampa, is headed to federal prison for six years and two months after being sentenced in a sweeping credit card fraud and identity theft scheme that ripped off more than 1,000 victims and caused over $700,000 in losses. U.S. District Judge Susan C. Bucklew handed down the sentence following Garcia’s guilty plea on July 7, 2016, marking the end of a multiyear investigation into a counterfeit card ring that plagued the Tampa Bay area.
From as early as 2013 through 2015, Garcia and a network of co-conspirators used stolen credit and debit card data harvested from skimming devices—rigged onto gas station pumps across the region—to manufacture counterfeit cards. They targeted unsuspecting consumers, lifting account numbers from victims who filled up at compromised fuel stations, including a Hess Station in Brooksville where law enforcement recovered four skimmers on February 19, 2014.
The crew didn’t stop at data theft. They re-encoded gift cards with stolen account information, turning them into functional counterfeit credit cards. These were then used at retail stores to buy high-value merchandise and additional gift cards, which the group either resold for cash or kept for personal use. None of the true account holders gave permission—each was a silent victim of a cold, calculated fraud operation.
Investigators from the U.S. Secret Service’s Financial Investigation Strike Team linked Garcia to the fraud by matching surveillance footage and transaction receipts from the Hess Station to the counterfeit cards in use. The evidence painted a clear picture: Garcia and his associates were the faces behind a string of fraudulent purchases, cycling stolen data into real-world profits across the region.
Court findings revealed the scope was massive—more than 35 financial institutions were impacted, and the damage stretched across state lines. At yesterday’s sentencing, prosecutors emphasized that Garcia played a central role in multiple conspiracies involving fraud and identity theft, with losses exceeding seven figures when indirect costs are factored in.
The case was jointly investigated by the Tampa Police Department, the United States Secret Service, and the Florida Department of Law Enforcement. Assistant United States Attorneys Mandy Riedel and Eric Gerard led the prosecution, ensuring Garcia faced full accountability for a crime that undermined trust in everyday transactions. His prison term begins now, but the fallout from his actions will linger for victims still untangling the wreckage of stolen identities.
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Related Federal Cases
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Key Facts
- State: Florida
- Agency: DOJ USAO
- Category: Fraud & Financial Crimes
- Source: Official Source ↗
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