In a sweeping crackdown that originated with Gloucester Township detectives in October of 2023, state Attorney General Matthew J. Platkin has announced charges of racketeering against 25 people and four companies involved in a diesel fuel theft ring that spanned five states.
The operation – which generated profits of about $3.4 million – used stolen credit-card data for the purchase and reselling of fuel that amounted to tens of thousands of gallons, according to Platkin. With operations in New Jersey, Pennsylvania, New York, Connecticut and Massachusetts, those charged allegedly installed credit card “skimmers” on gas pumps to steal financial data.
The devices were secretly installed inside gas pumps using master keys to capture credit- and debit-card information from victims that was then used to create cloned cards for fuel purchases, Platkin said. Modified vehicles with auxiliary tanks were utilized to transport the stolen fuel to trucking companies and fuel providers.
Platkin also reported that the stolen fuel was often delivered to Glotrac Builders LLC in Newark – which purchased about $2.88 worth – along with Newark-based A&A Truck Center and other clients, Platkin noted. Deliveries were sometimes made in unconventional vehicles, including a modified ice cream truck.
“These defendants allegedly developed a sophisticated system for stealing credit-card information …” Platkin noted. “We are committed to working with law enforcement at all levels to combat financial fraud and protect consumers.”
The initial township investigation was expanded with help from the Camden County Prosecutor’s Office.
High-ranking theft ring members Carlos Alvarez-Moreno and Javier Reyes Linares allegedly directed drivers to locations for fraudulent fuel purchases, the attorney general explained. About 500 cloned credit cards were seized during arrests. Payments for the stolen fuel were typically made to shell corporations via peer-to-peer apps, cash or checks, Platkin added.
Others charged in the scam, according to the attorney general, are Jonathan Gomez Soto, Manuel DeArmas Cortes, Frank Elias Fuentes-Martinez, Camilo Lopez Rodriguez, Sandy Gonzalez Gonzalez and Brayan Vera Sanchez, Platkin announced. Other businesses that made fraudulent purchases of fuel are Filpo Trucking Corp. of Belleville and Kalle Trucking LLC in Newark.
Other agencies in the investigation included U.S. Homeland Security and police departments across New Jersey and neighboring states.
