2 Men Charged With Credit Card Fraud After Stealing Almost $5.5K
MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO) – Two men have been charged with identify theft and fraud after using fraudulent credit cards in nine metro area cities.
Josiel Torano, 25, and Magdiel Ricoarango, 26, have been charged with one count of identity theft over $35,000 and one count of financial transaction card fraud.
According to the criminal complaint, at 12:45p.m. on August 5 Dakota County officials received an email from the loss prevention manager with Cub Foods that two men, later identified as Torano and Ricoarango, had used fraudulent credit cards at the Inver Grove Heights location.
The email was sent after the two men left the store and included a picture of their vehicle.
Police were able to trace Ricoarango through the vehicle, a white 2015 Chrysler 200 that he rented from the Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport a few days prior.
Further investigation showed that Torano and Ricoarango also used fraudulent cards at the Cottage Grove, West St. Paul and White Bear Lake locations on August 4 and 5.
Around 4:30 p.m. Rosemount police received a call that the two men were in a Rosemount Cub Foods.
According to the criminal complaint, officers arrived on the scene an d arrested the pair.
After his arrest, Torano claimed his name was Ariel Hill and gave officers a Colorado driver's license. Officers found eight various credit cards on him, all of which were fraudulent.
Using a search warrant, police searched the car and found over 20 gift cards, two credit cards under the same name and Torano's real driver's license.
The Dakota County Sheriff's Office said the search yielded 10 American Express credit cards. Of those, two were gift cards and couldn't be traced. Of the eight, three victims were located. All of who said they did not give permission to anyone to use their card or credit a new one.
Officers found in total, Torano and Ricoarango stole $5,490.89 from 11 victims in nine cities over eight days.
According to the criminal complaint, Torano told police he lived in Florida. He said he was approached by a man in Florida and was told he could make money if he just gave the unknown man a photo.
He gave the man the photo and then was given plan tickets to Minnesota.
Torano said he met Ricoarango when he arrived in Minnesota. From July 28 until their arrest on Aug 5, the two went to eight to 10 Cub Foods stores and two to four Target stores in Burnsville, Cottage Grove, Eagan, Inver Grove Heights, Minneapolis, Rosemount, West St. Paul, White Bear Lake and Woodbury.
Turano said lived lived out of the car. However, police found two Holiday Inn Express cards. When questioned, Toran ended the interview.
Rocarango did not give a statement.
The two are currently being held in Dakota County Jail. Police consider Torano and Magdiel a high flight risk.
