Two individuals connected to a multi-state gift card fraud scheme were arrested on Wednesday.
According to a press release from the Texas Financial Crimes Intelligence Center, Brusli Javier Romero Bajarano and John Jairo Giraldo Cortes, both Colombian nationals, were charged with felonies: Fraudulent use, possession or tampering with a gift card, gift card packaging, or gift card data. They are both being held in the Potter County, Texas Jail.
“Gift card cloning is a sophisticated form of organized retail theft where criminals manipulate cards before they are even purchased,” the press release reads. “On March 17, 2026, the suspects entered Texas and were identified committing gift card fraud in Amarillo. Following a coordinated intelligence effort between the Financial Crimes Intelligence Center’s North Texas Field Office and local law enforcement, Amarillo Police Department officers and detectives arrested the suspects within one hour of receiving the intelligence. The investigation confirmed that the individuals had compromised cards at three separate Amarillo locations prior to their arrest.”…