California Woman Admits Scheme To Steal 94,000 Debit And Credit Cards From Michaels’ Stores In 19 States

CAMDEN, N.J. – A California woman today admitted her role in a large-scale conspiracy to steal 94,000 credit and debit cards from customers at approximately 80 Michaels’ Stores in 19 states and to then use that information to make fraudulent withdrawals from the bank accounts of those customers, U.S. Attorney Paul J. Fishman announced.

Crystal Banuelos, 28, of Bloomington, California, pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Joseph H. Rodriguez in Camden federal court to Count One of the indictment, conspiracy to commit bank fraud, and Count Three of the indictment, aggravated identity theft.

According to documents filed in this case and statements made in court:

The conspirators installed devices that acquired customers’ bank account and personal identification number (PIN) information on point of sale (POS) terminals at stores operated by Michaels. The stolen account information was used to produce counterfeit bank cards, which were used with the stolen PINs to withdraw funds from the compromised bank accounts.

The conspirators allegedly replaced 88 POS terminals in 80 different stores operated by Michaels across 19 states, including New Jersey, with counterfeit POS devices. Each counterfeit device was equipped with wireless technology, which the conspirators used to retrieve the stolen information. From February 2011 to April 2011, conspirators stole approximately 94,000 debit and credit card account numbers.

From April 2011 to May 2011, Banuelos, her co-defendant, Angel Angulo, and others obtained counterfeit cards with the corresponding PIN numbers written on them from other conspirators. They used the cards and PIN numbers to withdraw money using automated teller machines (ATMs) from hundreds of bank accounts. On May 14, 2011, Banuelos and Angulo possessed 179 counterfeit cards in New Jersey.

The charge of conspiracy to commit bank fraud carries a maximum potential penalty of 30 years in prison and a $1 million fine. The charge of aggravated identity theft carries a mandatory penalty of two years in prison, to be served consecutively to any other sentence. Banuelos also consented to an order of forfeiture in the amount of $480,300, representing the proceeds of the offense. Her sentencing is scheduled for Feb. 23, 2016.

U.S. Attorney Fishman credited special agents of the U.S. Secret Service, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge David Beach, for the investigation leading to today’s guilty plea.

The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Daniel Shapiro of the Computer Hacking and Intellectual Property Section of the U.S. Attorney’s Office Economic Crimes Unit.

Defense counsel: Edward Sapone Esq., New York