Man accused of using stolen fleet fuel card data to make 17 fraudulent diesel purchases in Tampa Bay

A Florida man is facing multiple charges for making more than a dozen fraudulent diesel fuel purchases in the Tampa Bay area, the Manatee County Sheriff’s Office (MCSO) said.

An investigation was launched on June 24, 2026, into unauthorized diesel fuel purchases at gas stations in Hillsborough County made using fleet fuel card information stolen from a Manatee County victim.

MCSO learned that the fuel card information had been stolen by a skimming device at an unknown fuel pump.

Investigators reviewed surveillance footage from a Wawa that showed a suspect using the stolen card data to purchase approximately $200 worth of diesel fuel, pumping it into a large auxiliary fuel tank mounted in the bed of a pickup truck.

The suspect attempted to use the stolen card information to make another fraudulent diesel fuel purchase at another location in Gibsonton one week later, but the card was declined.

MCSO identified the suspect vehicle as a blue Ford F-250 registered to Juan Miguel Acosta Ramos, 32, of Apollo Beach, Florida.

A search warrant was obtained for Ramos’ residence.

The warrant was executed on July 8 with assistance from the Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office. Officers recovered 100 counterfeit payment cards, 12 skimming devices, PIN pad overlays, magnetic stripe readers and writers, blank plastic cards, card encoders, and other equipment used to manufacture fraudulent cards.

Investigators determined that Ramos used also allegedly used stolen Fleet Card Blue account information at a 7-Eleven store located on U.S. 301 North in Parrish.

MCSO said that Ramos was ultimately linked to 17 fraudulent diesel fuel purchases throughout the Tampa Bay area, totaling more than $4,000.

Ramos was arrested and booked into the Hillsborough County Jail on charges of:

• Unlawful Use of a Credit Card
• Grand Theft
• Trafficking in Counterfeit Cards (100 or more)
• Possession of a Skimming Device (12 counts)
• Destruction of Evidence
• Possession of Credit Card Making Materials

Additional charges related to fraudulent use of credit cards and personal identification information could be issued.