Credit Card Skimming Operation Leads to Arrests in South dakota
Two Florida residents with legal U.S. residency were arrested in South Dakota following an examination into a multi-state credit card fraud scheme targeting Walmart stores in Iowa, Nebraska, and South Dakota. The suspects, identified as Yordany Cuervo and Dario brito Permuy, are both Cuban nationals holding green cards.
The investigation began with reports of theft and fraudulent transactions at Walmart locations in Sioux City (Iowa and Nebraska), Sioux Falls, and brookings, occurring on October 28th and 29th. A witness report of a vehicle fleeing south into Codington County prompted law enforcement to issue a description, leading to an interception shortly after.
During a search of the vehicle, authorities discovered a important amount of evidence related to credit card skimming.This included over 300 credit cards, identification documents, two cell phones, and a computer. A more thorough inspection revealed eleven card skimmers – numbered sequentially from 1 to 12, with number 4 missing – along with a card reader/writer and materials used to create counterfeit magnetic strips for encoding stolen financial data.
Investigators believe the volume of seized materials indicates a large-scale operation capable of compromising hundreds of customer accounts. Cuervo and Brito Permuy now face a total of 66 forgery charges, corresponding to each piece of evidence collected.
Cuervo was released on $25,000 bail on November 24th, while Brito Permuy remains in custody. Both have entered pleas of not guilty and are scheduled for trial on February 12, 2026.
Authorities emphasize that the accused are presumed innocent until proven guilty. The incident has heightened concerns among local customers and businesses regarding the increasing prevalence of credit card cloning in the region.
