A 69-year-old Providence man is finally heading behind bars, but a 36-month prison sentence feels like a slap on the wrist for a crime this despicable. Esteban “Steven” Antonio Perez has been sentenced following a sickening, yearlong gift card fraud scheme that ruthlessly preyed on the most vulnerable people across Rhode Island and Massachusetts, according to WJAR
U.S. District Court Chief Judge John McConnell, Jr., handed down the prison term, to be followed by three years of supervised release, after Perez pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit access device fraud and access device fraud. But the punishment hardly matches the sheer audacity of the betrayal.
Preying on the Vulnerable
Let’s be crystal clear about what was stolen: these were not random consumer purchases. They had been bought in bulk by more than 80 organizations—including local charities, churches, and schools—and were explicitly meant to support struggling individuals and families in need, according to the Department of Justice.
Instead of letting those vital resources reach underprivileged children, cancer patients, and survivors of domestic violence, Perez and his co-conspirators heartlessly drained at least 2,591 gift cards, racking up more than $230,000 in losses.
What did they buy with stolen charity funds? Members of the conspiracy brazenly used the compromised card numbers to scoop up baby formula, household goods, coffee, energy drinks, and other items from a major grocery store chain operating throughout Rhode Island and Massachusetts.
A Disgusting Operation
Perez acted as the primary fence for this vile operation, buying the stolen goods from his co-conspirators at a discount and flipping them to local grocery stores and bodegas for personal profit. When law enforcement finally moved in to shut it down, they found his vehicle and storage unit packed with food products stored in utterly revolting, unsanitary conditions—including raw shrimp left unrefrigerated overnight.
Law enforcement officials did not mince words about the depravity of the scheme.
“Perez and his co-conspirators stooped to the lowest low: they exploited those in need by stealing gifts intended for struggling families to enrich themselves,” said Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) New England Acting Special Agent in Charge Jeffrey Grimming. “They then further harmed the community by using the proceeds to sell potentially dangerous food for a profit.”
First Assistant U.S. Attorney Charles Calenda echoed that outrage, noting that Perez turned sheer charitable generosity into personal greed.
The massive fraud forced the victimized grocery chain to pour extensive resources into tracking down the breaches and ultimately reimbursing the affected nonprofits. While the federal case—prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Taylor Dean and investigated by HSI—has put Perez away for three years, the damage left in the wake of this predatory scam leaves a lasting mark on the community trust it shattered.
