Six arrested in $1.4 million Walmart fraud scheme

Six individuals have been arrested following a two-month investigation into an alleged retail fraud operation that used stolen customer payment information to place approximately 15,500 fraudulent orders on Walmart.com. The scheme, estimated to involve between $1.2 million and $1.4 million in merchandise, was uncovered after a delivery driver reported receiving dozens of packages addressed to different names at a single Peoria, Arizona, residence.

Investigators allege the group used hacked customer accounts and stolen credit or debit card numbers to place orders, altering delivery addresses to bypass fraud alerts. The merchandise was reportedly funneled through boba shops in Peoria and Tolleson before being transported to California and shipped to Vietnam in cargo containers via U.S. Cargo Shipping LLC.

During the investigation, which involved multiple police departments and Homeland Security Investigations, authorities seized approximately $25,000 in merchandise, $35,000 in cash, and $45,000 in gold bars. The six suspects have been booked into Maricopa County jail on $500,000 cash-only bonds.