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Three Cuban citizens were arrested in Texas while installing devices to steal bank data at gas pumps, in a case that, according to authorities, could have caused millions in losses to consumers in that state.
The arrest took place on April 16 in the city of Hewitt, as part of a joint operation between the Texas Financial Crimes Intelligence Center (TFCIC), the Department of Public Safety, and the local police.
According to reports from the media KFDM and KCENTV, the suspects were caught while installing hidden “skimming” devices within fuel dispensers, designed to capture card information without customers noticing.
The detainees were identified as Yordanys Castillo Bejerano, Jeilier Sarria Gutiérrez, and Lázaro Raúl Piñero Rodríguez, all of Cuban nationality. Following their arrest, authorities executed a search warrant at a residence in Austin, where they found equipment for card cloning, materials used in fraud, and numerous already duplicated cards.
According to the research, the group used devices known as “deep insert skimmers”, which are placed inside the internal structure of gas pumps and are virtually undetectable to the average user. Once bank data was obtained, it could be used for fraudulent purchases or to clone cards.
Authorities also point out that these types of networks tend to operate in an organized manner and use various methods to convert stolen information into money. Among these methods is the purchase of large quantities of fuel with cloned cards for resale in the black market, as well as the acquisition of high-value products that are later sold.
The dismantling of this operation prevented potential losses of up to 19 million dollars, according to official estimates cited by KCENTV. “This type of organized crime targets ordinary citizens at gas stations,” said a representative of TFCIC, who emphasized the economic impact of these practices.
Authorities believe that the detainees may be linked to multiple similar cases in the Waco area and other parts of the state, while the investigation is ongoing.
This type of case recalls the life sentence of the Cuban Yoerlán Suárez Corrales for similar offenses involving card cloning in the United States.
This is not the first time that Cuban citizens have faced charges for this type of fraud in Texas. In 2018, the Cuban couple Yuvann Luis Noa and Marzolis Menes Tur was arrested in the state for stealing thousands of dollars through credit card fraud.
Additionally, Yasmani Granja Quijada was sentenced to 10 years in prison for his involvement in a credit card fraud scheme.
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