ORLANDO, Fla. \u2014 The Orlando Police Department has accused five individuals of orchestrating an organized fraud scheme that illegally used stolen Electronic Benefit Transfer card information. The group allegedly purchased thousands of dollars\u2019 worth of energy drinks and coffee across Central Florida, intending to resell them for profit.<\/p>\n
The arrest affidavits identify the suspects in the organized crime group as Carlos Ruben Gomez-Jimenez, Maite Lazara Mesa-Labrada, Carlos Luis Diaz-Jimenez, Enrique Gonzalez, and Luis Gonzalez Dominguez. Detectives described Gomez-Jimenez as the group\u2019s \u201cprimary offender,\u201d alleging he conducted 36 fraudulent EBT transactions during the investigation.<\/p>\n
Detectives investigated 37 incidents within Orlando city limits between October 2025 and April 2026, according to the arrest affidavit. This investigation identified at least 29 victims whose EBT accounts were reportedly drained through unauthorized purchases. Investigators said the group stole more than $5,000 in EBT funds.<\/p>\n
Police allege the suspects used fake cards containing stolen EBT information. This information is believed to have been obtained through skimming devices. Detectives said the suspects would first make small purchases, often buying bottles of water at Wawa stores, to check if the stolen card information worked and to see how much money remained in the accounts.<\/p>\n
After confirming funds, the suspects would then make larger purchases at other stores. According to the Orlando Police Department, the purchased merchandise was stashed in several storage units. The products were then transported to a food and beverage warehouse, where police believe they were sold for profit.<\/p>\n
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