A 39-year-old Bronx man and his 29-year-old girlfriend are accused of skimming customers' credit card numbers at the Hale & Hearty where she worked, and then going on shopping sprees with several others, spending more than $200,000.
Manhattan District Attorney Cyrus Vance Jr. says 11 people are accused in the scheme that began last summer at the Hale & Hearty in midtown.
The ringleader allegedly gave his girlfriend a skimming device each day to take to work with her. Prosecutors say she was able to skim more than 20 cards each time she brought it to work.
He then shared the stolen credit card information with another suspect, who helped create fake cards that a group of suspects used to buy jewelry, designer clothing and electronics. They also used the cards for cash advances at a Westchester casino, Vance said.
Local
The group also created counterfeit checks and made them out to themselves, for more than $50,000 total.
The suspects are charged with multiple counts, including grand larceny, forgery and identity theft.
The soup chain did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
