Mother and Son Sentenced in Celebrity Credit Card Account Takeover Scheme

ORLANDO—United States Attorney A. Lee Bentley, III announces that U.S. District Judge John Antoon, II yesterday sentenced Luis Flores, Jr. (19, Lake Mary) to three-and-a-half years in federal prison for credit card fraud and aggravated identity theft. The court also ordered Flores to forfeit computers, electronic equipment, and cell phones that were traceable to and facilitated the offenses of conviction. As part of his sentence, the court also entered a money judgment in the amount of $16,082, the proceeds of the charged criminal conduct. Flores pleaded guilty on October 23, 2013. Flores’ mother, Kyah Green (41), was sentenced to three years of probation and ordered to make restitution in the amount of $16,082. Green lied to federal agents to cover up the fraud committed by Flores. She pleaded guilty on October 22, 2013.

According to court documents, in March 2013, Flores was terminated from his job at a call center for diverting a co‑worker’s electronically deposited paycheck to a bank account controlled by Flores. Immediately after his termination, Flores began a scheme to take over the credit card accounts of celebrities. He was successful in obtaining $71,251.99 in fraudulent wire transfers from those accounts into a bank account controlled by him. From March 2013 through at least July 2013, these account takeovers by Flores resulted in numerous credit cards being delivered to Flores’ and Green’s house in the names of other persons.

In late March 2013, Flores was arrested on state charges for electronically diverting his co-worker’s paycheck. On May 19, 2013, Flores made bail on the state charge and immediately restarted his attempts to take over the credit card accounts of celebrities and, later, law enforcement officials.

In June 2013, federal agents executed a search warrant at the home of Flores and Green. During the execution of the search warrant, Green lied to agents and denied any knowledge of Flores’ bank account, in which Flores received the $71,251.99 in fraudulent wire transfers. In fact, while Flores was still in jail on his state charges, Green had used that bank account to make purchases and ATM withdrawals totaling about $16,082, including thousands of dollars of electronic equipment, designer merchandise, and other consumer goods.

This case was investigated by the United States Secret Service and the Federal Bureau of Investigation. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Daniel C. Irick.