Man Carrying Phony Credit Cards Attempts to Cross U.S. Border

A Mexican man has been indicted by a federal grand jury in McAllen on charges he tried to cross into the U.S. with 31 counterfeit credit cards strapped to his body.

Alfredo Alvarez-Mendicuti was arrested April 25 crossing from Reynosa, Mexico, into Texas after his passport was shown to be revoked because of ties to a drug cartel.

A further inspection revealed a bulge in his waistband. Border officers found the credit cards strapped to his waist and legs. Nearly two dozen of them were determined immediately to be fake.

Court documents show he told authorities he bought the cards for 1,000 pesos each and planned to use them in McAllen.

The Justice Department says he could get up to 10 years in prison and a $250,000 fine if convicted.

Copyright AP - Associated Press
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