Puerto Rico Resident Juan Rivera Mundo Sentenced for Identity Theft and Bank Fraud Schemes

A local resident, Juan Rivera Mundo, 27, of Juncos, Puerto Rico, was sentenced to a combined five years and four months in federal prison for aggravated identity theft and bank fraud violations in two separate cases. U.S. Attorney W. Stephen Muldrow for the District of Puerto Rico made the announcement.

Identity Theft and Bank Fraud Schemes

According to court documents from the U.S. Department of Justice, Rivera Mundo masterminded a scheme to acquire innocent individuals’ debit cards and Personal Identifying Information (PII) through the recruitment of cashiers at various Puerto Rican businesses. He used this information to produce counterfeit access devices and subsequently withdrew illicit funds and made extravagant purchases using these cloned cards. Rivera Mundo amassed significant profits for himself and his associates.

Charges and Trials

Rivera Mundo was initially charged on March 24, 2022, with bank fraud and aggravated identity theft in the first case. While awaiting trial on bail, he engaged in additional illegal activities, leading to additional charges filed on August 25, 2022. On November 9, 2023, Rivera Mundo pleaded guilty to both offenses.

Sentencing and Restitution

In addition to the 64-month prison term, Rivera Mundo is ordered to serve an additional 5-year term of supervised release and pay $18,528.60 in restitution.

Third Separate Federal Case

An indictment in a third and separate federal case, filed on May 11, 2023, alleges that Rivera Mundo orchestrated a conspiracy to commit wire fraud in 2020. He is alleged to have fraudulently obtained a Payroll Protection Program (PPP) loan and deceived both the United States Small Business Administration and a financial institution. The case is currently pending a resolution.

Federal Agencies Involved

The United States Secret Service took charge of the bank fraud and aggravated identity theft cases, while United States Attorney Marie Christine Amy handled the prosecution.

This article was generated based on details from the press release issued by the U.S. Department of Justice.