Yanio Montes De Oca, Money Laundering Conspiracy, New York 2021
Nationwide Gas Station Skimming Scheme: Miami Man Pleads Guilty to Money Laundering Conspiracy
In a shocking case of financial deception, Yanio Montes De Oca, a 33-year-old Miami resident, has pleaded guilty to participating in a conspiracy to launder funds derived from a nationwide gas station skimming scheme.
The scheme, which took place between December 2015 and July 2019, involved stealing the banking and personal information of residents of Upstate and Central New York who used the ‘pay at the pump’ feature to make gasoline purchases.
As part of his guilty plea, De Oca admitted to being a part of a conspiracy that laundered thousands of gift cards obtained using fraudulent debit and credit cards encoded with information stolen using gas station skimming devices.
De Oca sold the fraudulently obtained gift cards on a gift card exchange website using a ‘bulk seller’ account he established in the name of a Florida company he created in 2015. He then transferred the resulting amounts to bank accounts he controlled and distributed some of the money to other conspirators, retaining the rest of the funds for himself.
As part of his plea agreement, De Oca agreed to be subject to a forfeiture money judgment in the amount of $1,020,193.10.
A sentencing hearing is set for July 13, 2021, before Senior United States District Judge Gary L. Sharpe. De Oca faces up to 20 years in prison; a fine of up to $500,000 or twice the value of the property involved in the transaction, whichever is greater; and up to 3 years of supervised release.
This case is being investigated by the FBI Albany Field Office and USPIS Boston Division, with assistance from the FBI Field Offices in Miami and Pittsburgh, the USPIS Miami Division, and the United States Secret Service Miami Field Office. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Rick Belliss and Emily C. Powers.
Defendant/Respondent: Yanio Montes De Oca, a 33-year-old Miami resident, has pleaded guilty to participating in a conspiracy to launder funds derived from a nationwide gas station skimming scheme.
Criminal Charges: Money Laundering Conspiracy.
City and State: Miami, Florida, and Upstate and Central New York.
Exact Date: The scheme took place between December 2015 and July 2019.
Sentence or Outcome: De Oca faces up to 20 years in prison; a fine of up to $500,000 or twice the value of the property involved in the transaction, whichever is greater; and up to 3 years of supervised release.
Dollar Amounts: The forfeiture money judgment is in the amount of $1,020,193.10.
Key Facts
- State: New York
- Category: Fraud & Financial Crimes
- Source: DOJ Press Release â†â€â€
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