Officials: 2 Peruvian nationals charged in ‘distraction theft’ scheme at Trader Joe’s, other stores

Two people from Peru are facing federal charges in a credit card fraud and identity theft scheme, the U.S. Department of Justice announced on Wednesday.

Officials say 34-year-old Angel Giancarlo Bellido Cosio, also known as “Jesus Requejo,” last residing in Paterson, and 60-year-old Angel Eugenio Bances Chaponan, last residing in Queens, New York, are accused of victimizing shoppers at Trader Joe's and at other retail stores.

Officials say a series of distraction thefts of wallets from victims at grocery stores were being investigated. They say the investigation revealed that Cosio and Chaponan rented vehicles using a fraudulent passport, traveled throughout the U.S., stole wallets from unwary victims at Trader Joe’s and other stores, and then used the victims’ credit and debit cards to purchase electronic devices and other items.

Cosio and Chaponan were both arrested on March 13 and are currently detained.

An indictment charged Bellido Cosio and Bances Chaponan with access device fraud, an offense that carries a maximum term of imprisonment of 10 years, and with aggravated identity theft, an offense that carries a mandatory consecutive term of imprisonment of two years.