An Indiana man has agreed to plead guilty to conspiracy to commit food stamp fraud, benefits fraud, and possession of device-making equipment.
Luis Rodolfo Valero Aldana, 26, of Indianapolis, admitted that he and a partner stole Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program benefits meant to help poor people buy groceries by cloning electronic benefit transfer cards from over 150 cards, using data stolen from legitimate cardholders in Indiana, Tennessee, California, New York, Texas, and other states.
These charges were brought as part of the Trump administration’s Task Force to Eliminate Fraud.
His co-defendant, Ana Virginia Lopez Macias, 29, of Indianapolis, has been charged by indictment with conspiracy to commit food stamp fraud, seven counts of benefits fraud, and possession of device-making equipment.
There's not much spookier than another FRAUD FRIDAY ⚠️🎃 Indianapolis Man Agrees to Plead Guilty in SNAP Fraud and Card Skimming Scheme READ: https://t.co/xXg8lj9DQx @OIGUSDA. @FBIIndianapolis, and @USPIS_IN investigated https://t.co/CoViTiIqCE
— SDINnews (@SDINnews) October 30, 2026
A jury trial is scheduled to begin on January 4, 2027.
An indictment is merely an allegation, and Macias is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Court documents say that beginning as early as December 1, 2024, and continuing through approximately December 2025, the defendants allegedly conspired to produce and use more than 150 fraudulent electronic benefit transfer cards.
The defendants allegedly enriched themselves by using the cloned EBT cards to purchase merchandise at multiple Sam’s Club locations and then selling the items for cash. To carry out the scheme, the defendants used both their own Sam’s Club memberships and memberships belonging to relatives.
Investigators allege that Valero Aldana purchased stolen EBT card data and used device‑making equipment in his residence to manufacture cloned cards. The defendants then used those cards to make bulk purchases — such as energy drinks, cooking oil, and various soft drinks, sometimes using multiple EBT accounts to complete a single transaction. These unauthorized purchases depleted the SNAP benefits of more than 150 legitimate cardholders. The stolen goods were then sold to small businesses, including local Mexican restaurants, in exchange for cash or checks.
On February 5, 2026, law enforcement officers executed a search warrant at Valero Aldana’s residence and recovered an MSR605X 3-Track Card Encoder used to create fraudulent EBT cards from stolen data.
To date, the unauthorized use of SNAP benefits attributed to the scheme exceeds $95,000 and involves more than 150 victims.
An Indianapolis man and woman were both charged after being accused of running a sophisticated food stamp scheme that defrauded the benefits program of nearly $100,000. Read more: https://t.co/XAS5oqQWkX
— FOX59 News (@FOX59) October 30, 2026
The U.S. Department of Agriculture – Office of Inspector General, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, and the United States Postal Inspection Service investigated the case. Valero Aldana’s sentence will be determined by a U.S. District Court Judge at a later date.
U.S. Attorney Wheeler thanked Assistant U.S. Attorney Adam Eakman, who is prosecuting this case.
On April 7, the Department of Justice announced the creation of the National Fraud Enforcement Division (“Fraud Division”). The Fraud Division is investigating and prosecuting those who commit fraud against the American people. The Department’s work to combat fraud supports President Trump’s Task Force to Eliminate Fraud, a whole-of-government effort chaired by Vice President J.D. Vance to eliminate fraud, waste, and abuse within Federal benefit programs.
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