Luis Rodolfo Valero Aldana, a 26-year-old Indianapolis resident, has agreed to plead guilty to federal charges connected to a sprawling interstate SNAP fraud and card skimming operation that drained over $95,000 from more than 150 legitimate benefit recipients.
The Mechanics of a Multi-State EBT Scheme
Federal court documents reveal that the illicit enterprise operated between December 1, 2024, and December 2025. During this 13-month window, Valero Aldana and his co-defendant allegedly manufactured and utilized more than 150 fraudulent Electronic Benefit Transfer cards.
Investigators state that the cloned cards relied on data pilfered from cardholders across Indiana, Tennessee, California, New York, Texas, and several other states. Valero Aldana allegedly acquired this stolen data and employed specialized hardware inside his residence to encode the fake cards.
When law enforcement officers executed a search warrant at his home on February 5, 2026, they recovered the hardware used in the operation: an MSR605X 3-Track Card Encoder.
Conspirators Targeted Wholesale Clubs for Bulk Purchases
Armed with the counterfeit EBT cards, the defendants targeted multiple Sam’s Club locations. They executed bulk purchases of commercial goods, snapping up high-volume items such as energy drinks, cooking oil, and assorted soft drinks.
To pull off these transactions without raising immediate alarms, the pair cycled through both their own personal warehouse club memberships and those belonging to relatives. They frequently depleted multiple hijacked EBT accounts to cover a single checkout total.
Once the goods were loaded into their vehicles, the operation shifted to liquidation. The conspirators allegedly sold the bulk merchandise directly to small businesses, including local Mexican restaurants, in exchange for cash or checks.
Federal Agencies Investigate the Indianapolis Fraud Ring
The investigation into the Indianapolis-based ring was a joint undertaking carried out by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the United States Postal Inspection Service, and the U.S. Department of Agriculture Office of Inspector General. Assistant U.S. Attorney Adam Eakman is prosecuting the case for the government.
While Valero Aldana has agreed to enter a guilty plea to charges of Conspiracy to Commit Food Stamp Fraud, Benefits Fraud, and Possession of Device-Making Equipment, his co-defendant faces a different timeline.
A federal grand jury formally indicted 29-year-old Indianapolis resident Ana Virginia Lopez Macias on charges including Conspiracy to Commit Food Stamp Fraud, Possession of Device-Making Equipment, and seven distinct counts of Benefits Fraud. A federal jury trial for Macias is currently scheduled to begin on January 4, 2027. Court records emphasize that an indictment contains mere allegations, and Macias remains presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
The prosecution lands amid a broader federal push against public benefit misuse. On April 7, the Department of Justice announced the formation of its National Fraud Enforcement Division. The specialized division was established to investigate and prosecute those targeting federal programs, supporting a whole-of-government effort chaired by Vice President J.D. Vance aimed at eliminating waste, fraud, and abuse.
A U.S. District Court Judge will determine Valero Aldana’s sentence at a later date.
