On Friday, January 19, 2024, four individuals were indicted on various charges related to the cloning of Walmart gift cards. The charges include Fraudulent Possession/Use of Credit or Debit Card (Counterfeit Card), Engaging in Organized Criminal Activity, Theft of Property >=$2,500<$30k, and Money Laundering >=$2,500<$30k.
The investigation began on Wednesday, July 12, 2023, when Colleyville Police Officers received a Theft Report from an elderly resident. The victim had sent a $100.00 Walmart gift card to a friend in Louisiana, only to discover it had a zero dollar balance when the friend attempted to use it. Further investigation revealed that the gift card had been cloned, with the funds used by a suspect to purchase items at Walmart locations in Tarrant County.
Collaborating with Walmart Global Investigations (WGI) and the United States Secret Service (USSS), Colleyville Detectives identified 42-year-old Geandy O’Reilly as the main suspect. O’Reilly had placed cloned Walmart gift cards in stores and used the victim-loaded balances for personal expenses.
During the surveillance, investigators discovered O’Reilly's associates acting as lookouts while he committed the crimes. O’Reilly spent the victims' money on various items, including lobster tails, jewelry, large screen TVs, kitchen appliances, and more. Fifteen victims in the Dallas-Fort Worth area were contacted, but the total number of victims exceeded 1,000.
On Friday, September 29, 2023, authorities arrested O’Reilly along with three accomplices—35-year-old Anisel Matososa, 56-year-old Ernesto Mato, and 42-year-old Mayluis Novoa. All were charged with multiple offenses.
Following the arrests, a search warrant was executed at O’Reilly’s residence, leading to the seizure of 6,975 Walmart Gift Cards, $3,181 in US Currency, 2 Card Reader Writers, 50 cases of Modelo Especial beer, 38 cases of Corona Extra beer, 1 Laptop Computer, 6 Cell Phones, and other fraudulently obtained items.
O’Reilly’s cell phone evidence also uncovered connections to similar crime rings across multiple states. Collaborating with authorities in those states, some suspects have been arrested, while other investigations are ongoing.
Colleyville Police Chief Michael C. Miller commended the vigilant resident who reported the initial discrepancy, stating, “With over a thousand victims and almost 7,000 fraudulent gift cards seized, this investigation was truly massive. I’m proud of our team who worked hand-in-hand with Walmart Global Investigations on this case.”
All arrested individuals are currently in custody at the Tarrant County Jail.
