Investigators working as part of the Louisiana Financial Crimes Task Force have concluded a three month investigation into numerous credit card fraud complaints received from St. Tammany Parish residents. The investigation has revealed approximately 57 victims with an estimated financial loss of over $50,000 and has resulted in eight suspects facing numerous fraud charges.
During the course of the investigation, detectives learned that all of the reported victims had made purchases at the same McDonald’s restaurant in Mandeville, LA. With the assistance of corporate security representatives from McDonald’s, task force investigators discovered that a McDonald’s employee, identified as Todd Pea of Lacombe, LA, had been recruited by a criminal network to “skim” credit card numbers from drive thru customers while working at the Mandeville restaurant. Pea passed along the electronic credit card information to members of the criminal organization who transferred the information to counterfeit credit cards. Once transferred to the counterfeit cards, members of the criminal network began a shopping spree across Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama, Florida, Georgia, and Texas, purchasing a variety of merchandise including flat screen televisions, designer clothes, electronics, furniture, tools, lawn equipment, a barbeque pit, and a generator.
The joint task force consisted of investigators from the United States Secret Service, Louisiana State Police Bureau of Investigations, St. Tammany Parish Sheriff’s Office, and the Jefferson Parish Sheriff’s Office.
Those arrested:
Christopher M. Brumfield of Mandeville,
Todd J Pea Jr. of Lacombe, LA
Corey A. Brumfield of Mandeville, LA
Sergio F. Gonzalez of Covington, LA
Quentin Bienemy of New Orleans, LA
Andrew Grant of New Orleans, LA
Additional fugitive suspects include:
Jamal Kieffer of New Orleans, LA
David Garrison of New Orleans, LA
Investigators are continuing their investigation with additional suspects and victims expected to be discovered.
H/T, NewOrleans.com