A raid conducted by the U.S. Secret Service, with assistance from the Pembroke Pines Police and the Broward Sheriff’s Office, has led to the arrest of two South Florida men involved in an alleged sophisticated credit card fraud scheme. The operation, which took place on Tuesday at a Pembroke Pines home, resulted in the seizure of multiple luxury vehicles and the arrest of Willan Pupo, 36, and Joel Castillo, 38. Both men are facing federal charges including conspiracy to commit access device fraud, wire fraud, and money laundering.
According to a criminal complaint referenced by NBC Miami, Pupo, and Castillo were accused of utilizing point-of-sale devices to conduct fraudulent credit card transactions through shell companies. The men would then swiftly transfer the ill-gotten gains to various bank accounts before the credit card companies caught wind of the fraud. One such operation led to 268 charges, amounting to a sizable haul of nearly $1 million dollars.
The investigation into their activities began in April 2024 when the Secret Service received a tip about the ongoing fraud, as detailed by the complaint. Pupo and Castillo were nabbed when investigators traced an IP address linked to the fraudulent activity back to Pupo's residence. It was also discovered that shortly after funds from fraudulent transactions were deposited, credit card owners would dispute the charges, leaving the credit card processing company to face the financial blow once the duo had drained the associated accounts.
One of the accused, Joel Castillo, has already appeared in court regarding these allegations, his bond set at over $160,000, as reported by Local 10. His cohort, Willan Pupo, did not appear in court due to a positive COVID-19 diagnosis. Neighbors of the Grand Palms Country Club community expressed their shock at the raid, with one neighbor recounting, "Booms to open the door, but yeah, no, it’s scary," in a statement to Local 10. This sentiment reflects the disruption felt by residents of the typically serene enclave.
In the meantime, the Secret Service has refrained from providing further details regarding the investigation. Rafael Barros, Special Agent in Charge of the U.S. Secret Service’s Miami Field Office, conveyed in a statement on Local 10, "The Miami Field Office is not in a position to comment on the nature of the involvement of the U.S. Secret Service in this matter." He mentioned that future actions, if any, would be disclosed in coordination with the United States Attorney’s Office in the Southern District of Florida. Castillo's arraignment is scheduled for later this month, marking the next step in this unfolding legal battle.
