When more than 150 people discovered their benefits had been siphoned away by counterfeit cards, the trail led federal investigators straight to an Indianapolis residence equipped with a 3-track card encoder. Luis Rodolfo Valero Aldana, 26, has agreed to plead guilty in a food stamp fraud scheme that drained more than $95,000 in Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program benefits.
Pair Manufactured over 150 Fake Benefit Cards
The operation ran from December 2024 through December 2025, according to court documents. Investigators state that Valero Aldana and his co-defendant, 29-year-old Ana Virginia Lopez Macias of Indianapolis, manufactured over 150 fake Electronic Benefit Transfer cards.
The stolen data used to clone these cards came from legitimate cardholders residing in Indiana, Tennessee, California, New York, Texas, and other states. Armed with the counterfeit cards, the pair visited multiple Sam’s Club locations. They used their own Sam’s Club memberships and memberships that belonged to relatives to buy bulk quantities of items such as energy drinks, cooking oil, and soft drinks, occasionally running multiple EBT accounts through a single transaction.
The defendants sold the fraudulently obtained inventory to various small businesses, including local Mexican restaurants, in exchange for cash or checks.
Investigators Recovered a Card Encoder During Home Raid
The scheme unraveled on Feb. 5, 2026, when law enforcement officers executed a search warrant at Valero Aldana’s home. During the search, investigators recovered an MSR605X 3-Track Card Encoder, which investigators say was used to manufacture the fraudulent cards.
Federal investigators from the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Office of Inspector General, the FBI, and the U.S. Postal Inspection Service investigated the case. This legal matter forms part of the Trump administration’s Task Force to Eliminate Fraud, which is a nationwide initiative focusing on abuses within government benefit programs.
Legal Proceedings
According to the U.S. Attorney’s Office, Valero Aldana has agreed to enter a guilty plea for conspiracy to commit food stamp fraud, benefits fraud, and possession of device-making equipment. His sentencing will be determined by a federal judge at a later date.
Meanwhile, his co-defendant faces a different timeline. Ana Virginia Lopez Macias faced an indictment encompassing conspiracy to commit food stamp fraud, seven distinct counts of benefits fraud, and possession of device-making equipment. Her jury trial is scheduled to begin Jan. 4, 2027.
