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CONTACT: Barbara Burns
PHONE: (716) 843-5817
FAX: (716) 551-3051
BUFFALO, N.Y. –U.S. Attorney Williams J. Hochul, Jr. announced today that Yaily Santurio Milian, 32, a Cuban National, pleaded guilty before U.S. District Court Judge Richard J. Arcara to conspiracy to commit bank fraud. The charge carries a maximum penalty of 30 years in prison, a fine of $1,000,000, or both.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Russell T. Ippolito, Jr., who is handling the case, stated that Milian fraudulently obtained the credit/debit card numbers of actual people and then encoded counterfeit cards with the information. The defendant then used the counterfeit cards to purchase merchandise at retail stores in the area, including a Tops Market and a CVS Pharmacy. Milian fraudulently obtained the information associated with approximately 79 credit and debit card accounts at various financial institutions.
Five other Cuban Nationals, Eduardo Quinones Hernandez, Claudia Diaz Diaz, Misael Toledo Rios, and Jose Valdivia Quinones have also been convicted in this case. Charges are pending against Yasser Carrillo Chartrand. The fact that a defendant has been charged with a crime is merely an accusation and the defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty.
Today’s plea is the result of an investigation by Immigration and Customs Enforcement, Homeland Security Investigations, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge James C. Spero, the U.S. Secret Service, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge C. Todd Laster, and the New York State Police, under the direction of Major Steven Nigrelli.
Sentencing is scheduled on May 23, 2016 before Judge Arcara.