Immigrant moped gang hires hackers to break into bank apps as NYPD reveals new details about 'sophisticated' high-tech criminal organization

Metro

by Tina Moore and Steve Janoski

A group of immigrants on mopeds, including an Uber Eats driver, used hackers to compromise bank accounts and terrorize New Yorkers by tricking them into shopping at stores like Home Depot, a group of “sophisticated” ” Police have shared new details about the high-tech criminal organization. .

NYPD Chief of Detectives Joseph Kenney told reporters that the crew and others included people from multiple countries, including Venezuela, Ecuador, Honduras and Mexico.

“There is no Venezuelan refuge, no Mexican refuge,” he said. “They will all be brought in as well as other groups.”

But the Venezuelan-led gang is becoming more organized, including the suspected fraudsters arrested yesterday who were led by Victor Parra, a 30-year-old Venezuelan immigrant living in the Bronx. Kenney said there tends to be more.

“As we saw yesterday, [robbery ring bust] “The proceeds go to Miami, Houston and eventually Colombia, but they're a little more sophisticated in terms of hacking into phones and stealing people's banking records,” Kenney said.

“They go to Venmo, they go to their Zelle account, and they use that money to make purchases,” he continued. “They settle their accounts and then shop at hardware stores and department stores. [they make] Transfer money to other accounts or cash. ”

Once the account is depleted, the phones will be shipped overseas and sold, he added.

Claver Andrade, a 19-year-old alleged moped gang member, was arraigned Tuesday in Manhattan criminal court and is facing a police officer with a wide ring who is facing 62 grand theft charges across the country. He was tied up and held on $10,000 bail. Big Apple since November.

At least one member of the moped gang, 19-year-old Claver Andrade, was charged Tuesday night with crimes related to a broad-based gang that has been busted in 62 grand theft cases across the Big Apple since November. I was planning to.

That includes a shocking video robbery in which a 62-year-old woman was brutally dragged off a Brooklyn street just three days after Christmas, law enforcement sources told the Post.

The robbers made off with the woman's bag, keys, phone, credit cards and glasses, while she flew through the air and crashed into a metal bike rack.

Police and sources said the video highlighted the gang's vicious tactics used to rob people of their wallets, cellphones and other belongings by any means necessary.

Authorities arrested Andrade and his alleged accomplice, 23-year-old Juan Uskatuy, on Monday, who was also arrested on Tuesday night.

Both men were charged separately Saturday with grand theft charges, including theft of a moped, resisting arrest and larceny.

Manhattan Assistant District Attorney Nicholas Kania said in court that Andrade admitted to investigators that he was riding a moped when he took part in five phone thefts on January 5. That's what it means.

Kania also mentioned how Andrade used a saw to break the chain lock to steal a moped in Queens on Oct. 7, which had previously been reported stolen.

He was charged by the Queens District Attorney's Office with possession of burglary tools, fifth-degree criminal possession of stolen property, and attempted petty theft, and was arraigned the next day, according to Manhattan prosecutors.

“Although the defendant has no prior convictions, he is currently charged with six felonies and six Class A misdemeanors.

He was additionally arrested in Queens over the weekend,” prosecutors said in a successful bail request based on the “harm-for-harm” theory that an identifiable person or property would be affected by the alleged crime.

But Andrade's lawyer said his client is a family man who has been working for Uber Eats for the past year and is the sole household income.

“We ask that Mr. Andrade be recognized and released because this case does not involve any identifiable harm to any person or property and therefore this case is not bailable.” Attorney Alex Gerber argued to no avail.

Meanwhile, Uzkatui was granted supervised release by a Manhattan judge under bail reform laws, but remained in custody on a warrant in Queens.

Kania is said to have publicly announced the theft of a mobile phone on December 21 and 23 last year, and there is evidence to suggest that he was involved in another theft on December 29.

Judge Melissa Smith said: “If this were to be considered for bail, I would strongly consider it.” “But under the law I can't do that. All I'm allowed to do is put the defendant on supervised release, and that's what I'm going to do.”

Police had hoped to arrest Mr. Andrade and Mr. Uzkatti after they gave up on the ringleader, Mr. Parra, but that has not yet happened, sources said.

Police also identified six other people connected to the ring. Anthony Ramos, 21, of Manhattan. Richard Saledo, 21, lives in the Bronx. Beike Jimenez, 21, lives in the Bronx. Maria Manaura, 32, lives in Manhattan. Samuel Castro, 27, of Queens, sources said.

Mr Parra's operation was described as a well-oiled machine, with the ringleader sending out a barrage of texts on WhatsApp explaining the type of phone he was looking for and telling his henchmen to “go get it”. ing.

Police say the scooter driver was making $100 a day, and the actual cell phone snatcher may have been making $300 to $600 per stolen device. It is said that there is.

Robbery rings and similar groups are of particular concern to law enforcement, especially when immigrants often take multiple aliases and exchange identities and dates of birth, making so-called “ghost crimes” extremely difficult to track down. sources said.