TALLAHASSEE, Fla.—Two individuals are facing charges related to a money laundering and grand theft operation involving SIM card swapping. The case, led by Attorney General Ashley Moody’s Cyber Fraud Enforcement Unit (CFEU), implicates Thomas Simmons and Raymond Ortiz in the scheme.
The investigation revealed that Simmons collaborated with Ortiz, an employee at a Florida cellphone store, to conduct SIM card swaps. This allowed Simmons to remotely access a victim's cellphone and bypass security measures, resulting in the theft of nearly $280,000 from the victim's bank account.
Attorney General Ashley Moody stated, “These defendants used a SIM card swap scheme to steal hundreds of thousands of dollars from an unsuspecting victim who was on a flight — and only noticed that the fraud took place after he was back on the ground. Thanks to our Cyber Fraud Enforcement Unit and our law enforcement partners, the only thing these sim swap criminals will be trading is their freedom for time behind bars.”
Ortiz allegedly performed the SIM card swap on the victim's phone. Afterward, while the victim was in flight and unable to intervene, Simmons accessed banking information using bypassed authentications. The crime came to light when the victim landed and discovered their phone was not functioning normally. Following this, Simmons reportedly used cashier checks bought with stolen funds for personal expenses despite already facing federal indictment for bank fraud.
Law enforcement authorities arrested Ortiz in Tampa with assistance from Hillsborough County Sheriff's Office. He faces charges of grand theft exceeding $100,000 and criminal use of personal identification information. Meanwhile, U.S. Marshals apprehended Simmons in California; he will face similar charges upon being returned to Florida.
Attorney General Moody’s Office of Statewide Prosecution will handle this case.
In 2022, Attorney General Moody issued a Consumer Alert about SIM Swap scams advising consumers to change passwords regularly, use two-factor authentication apps instead of phone-based systems, set strong PINs for mobile accounts, consider security apps from carriers for alerts on account access attempts, and avoid sharing or posting cellphone numbers publicly.
Victims may suspect they are targeted by noticing an inability to make or receive calls or texts; they should immediately contact their carrier using another device if this occurs.
Reports of such scams should be directed to local law enforcement agencies as well as mobile carriers and filed through FBI’s Internet Crime Complaint Center at IC3.gov.
The CFEU comprises attorneys specializing in cybercrime prosecution statewide alongside Florida Department of Law Enforcement analysts.