{"id":18255,"date":"2025-01-27T11:32:55","date_gmt":"2025-01-27T11:32:55","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/pro-truckdrivers.com\/blog\/25-arrested-charged-in-alleged-diesel-theft-scheme\/"},"modified":"2025-01-27T11:32:55","modified_gmt":"2025-01-27T11:32:55","slug":"25-arrested-charged-in-alleged-diesel-theft-scheme","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/pro-truckdrivers.com\/blog\/25-arrested-charged-in-alleged-diesel-theft-scheme\/","title":{"rendered":"25 arrested, charged in alleged diesel theft scheme"},"content":{"rendered":"


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Trucking news and briefs for Monday, Jan. 20, 2025:<\/i><\/p>\n

Big diesel theft-resale scheme uncovered in New Jersey<\/b><\/h2>\n

More than two dozen individuals and four companies were charged last week in New Jersey for their alleged roles in a multimillion-dollar scheme that used stolen credit card information to fraudulently purchase tens of thousands of gallons of diesel fuel and then resell it to trucking companies and others.<\/p>\n

New Jersey Attorney General Matthew J. Platkin alleged the enterprise operated in New Jersey, Pennsylvania, New York, Connecticut, and Massachusetts. <\/p>\n

The scheme used credit card \u201cskimmers\u201d that stole financial information from credit and debit cards to create \u201ccloned\u201d cards that were used to make fraudulent fuel purchases. Various vehicles \u2013 some having been modified with auxiliary tanks to illegally transport fraudulently purchased diesel fuel \u2013 were loaded up with the stolen fuel and delivered it to customers, earning the enterprise illicit profits of $3.4 million during the time period of the investigation.<\/p>\n

\u201cThese defendants allegedly developed a sophisticated system for stealing credit card information from unsuspecting victims and then used that information to make new, fraudulent cards, which they used to buy diesel fuel,\u201d Platkin said. \u201cThat fuel was then allegedly sold to trucking companies and other fuel providers. Working with our local law enforcement partners, we will always be on the lookout for financial frauds and protect the public from these schemes.\u201d<\/p>\n

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\"Attachments<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

In October 2023, New Jersey Division of Criminal Justice (DCJ) detectives received information from the Camden County Prosecutor\u2019s Office and Gloucester Township Police Department about an alleged diesel fuel theft enterprise operating throughout New Jersey. <\/p>\n

The investigation revealed that the enterprise possessed \u201cmaster\u201d keys that unlocked gas pumps, permitting them to install the skimmers inside. Some of the skimmers recovered included stolen information from victims who had used the affected gas pumps. Those devices and other electronic devices recovered during the investigation showed that the enterprise allegedly stole credit card information from thousands of victims from New Jersey and surrounding states.<\/p>\n

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The stolen financial information was then allegedly used to create \u201ccloned\u201d cards that were used to purchase diesel fuel from other gas stations.<\/p>\n

It is alleged that vehicles associated with the enterprise were outfitted with large fuel tanks, and parked in locations for members to access. High-ranking members, including Carlos Alvarez-Moreno and Javier Reyes Linares, allegedly gave drivers for the enterprise the locations where the vehicles were parked and the routes to travel to the locations of gas stations where they would fraudulently purchase diesel fuel using the cloned cards.<\/p>\n

Approximately 500 cloned cards were recovered from enterprise members during arrests by law enforcement. After purchasing the fuel, they would then deliver the fuel to trucking companies in exchange for payment. No member of the enterprise is registered with the state to sell diesel fuel.<\/p>\n

[Related:<\/b>\u00a0Fuel payments providers boost theft protections amid card-skimming explosion<\/a>]<\/p>\n

It is alleged that enterprise vehicles traveled to multiple gas stations, where fraudulent transactions occurred, and then immediately drove to Glotrac Builders LLC, a truck lot in Newark; A&A Truck Center; and other locations, to offload the fraudulently purchased diesel fuel. On numerous dates, the owners and operators of the customer-trucking companies were present, directing the drivers where to offload the fuel, from vehicles clearly not designed to lawfully transport fuel, including during late hours. For example, one of the enterprise vehicles that was rigged to transport fuel was an ice cream truck.<\/p>\n

The investigation revealed that customers of the enterprise often used a peer-to-peer payment application to pay for the stolen diesel fuel. Along with payments received from trucking companies, members of the enterprise sent each other money after getting paid for the sale of the stolen diesel fuel. However, some transactions occurred in cash. <\/p>\n

GB paid for most of its deliveries in cash or through checks to shell corporations, and is allegedly the enterprise\u2019s primary customer, receiving tens of thousands of gallons of stolen diesel fuel, which it sold to third-party truckers and trucking companies. GB paid the enterprise approximately $2.88 million for stolen fuel.<\/p>\n

Records reviewed by law enforcement revealed fraudulent transactions from credit cards that occurred at gas stations totaling approximately $665,797 between January 1, 2023, and July 20, 2024, from approximately 2,033 different victims linked to this enterprise.<\/p>\n

The investigation revealed that since at least June 13, 2022, members of this theft enterprise traveled in and around New Jersey and neighboring states to allegedly fraudulently purchase, collectively, tens of thousands of gallons of diesel fuel. The fuel was resold to financially profit the higher-ranking members of the enterprise, who then, in turn, paid the lower-level members their share of profits. <\/p>\n

All of the defendants are charged with first-degree racketeering. Various defendants are also charged with other crimes.<\/p>\n

I-70 rest area to close for renovations<\/b><\/h2>\n

The Indiana Department of Transportation announced Jan. 17 that the Centerville welcome center on westbound I-70 (milemarker 143) will close on or after Monday, Feb. 3, for a two-year renovation project. <\/p>\n

The new welcome center is part of INDOT’s long-term welcome center and rest\u00a0area\u00a0improvement plan that began in 2019.<\/p>\n

The improvements at the new facility include 156 truck parking spaces, truck driver restroom facilities, an adult recreation area and walking path and more. The Centerville welcome center today has just 19 truck parking spaces.<\/p>\n

The new welcome center is expected to open in 2027. Travelers are encouraged to use INDOT’s Greenfield rest area, located on I-70 westbound at MM 107 in Hancock County during the closure.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n


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Trucking news and briefs for Monday, Jan. 20, 2025: Big diesel theft-resale scheme uncovered in New Jersey More than two dozen individuals and four companies were charged last week in New Jersey for their alleged roles in a multimillion-dollar scheme that used stolen credit card information to fraudulently purchase tens of thousands of gallons of…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":18256,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-18255","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-weather"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/pro-truckdrivers.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/18255"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/pro-truckdrivers.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/pro-truckdrivers.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/pro-truckdrivers.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/pro-truckdrivers.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=18255"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/pro-truckdrivers.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/18255\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/pro-truckdrivers.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/18256"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/pro-truckdrivers.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=18255"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/pro-truckdrivers.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=18255"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/pro-truckdrivers.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=18255"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}