Credit โฃCard Skimming โขOperation Leads โto Arrests in South dakota
Two Florida residentsโข with legal โU.S. residencyโ were arrested โขin South โDakota following an examination into a โmulti-state credit card fraud scheme targeting Walmartโค stores in Iowa, Nebraska, and South Dakota. The suspects, identified as Yordany Cuervo โขand Dario brito Permuy, are both Cuban nationals holding green cards.
The investigation began with reports of theft and fraudulent transactions at Walmart โlocations in Sioux City (Iowa and Nebraska), Sioux Falls, andโค brookings, occurring on October โค28th and 29th. A โwitness report of โขa vehicle fleeing south intoโฃ Codington County prompted law enforcement to issue a description, โคleading to an interception shortly โafter.
During aโข search of the vehicle, โauthorities discovered a important โamount of evidence relatedโค to credit card skimming.This included over 300 credit cards,โ identification documents, twoโ cell phones, and aโค computer.โฃ A more thorough inspection revealed โฃeleven card skimmers – numbered sequentiallyโ from 1 to 12, with number 4 missing – along โwith aโค card โฃreader/writer and materials usedโฃ to create counterfeit โขmagnetic strips for encoding โขstolen financial data.
Investigators believe the volume ofโ seized materials indicates a large-scale operation capable of compromising hundredsโ of โขcustomer accounts. Cuervo and Brito โฃPermuy now face a total of 66 forgery charges, corresponding to each piece of โขevidence collected.โค
Cuervo was released on $25,000 โbail on Novemberโ 24th, while Brito Permuy remainsโข in custody. โคBoth have entered pleas of โฃnot โขguilty and โare scheduled for trial on February 12, 2026.
Authorities emphasize that the accused are presumed innocent untilโ proven guilty.โข The incident has heightened concerns amongโ local customers and businesses regarding the increasing prevalence of credit card cloningโข in the โขregion.
