A man has been charged for reselling diesel fuel to trucking companies at below-market rates in a fraudulent credit card scheme. 

56-year-old Orlando Pardo Ortega was taken into custody on June 25th for a series of alleged diesel fuel thefts in Miami-Dade County, Florida. 

According to CBS News, Ortega was first observed conducting the scheme at a Wawa gas station located in the 3300 block of NW 87th Avenue on April 25th. Ortega utilized a fuel bladder in the bed of a Ram 5500 pickup truck and used his cellphone to conduct contactless payments across two transactions totaling 110.75 gallons of diesel. 

Ortega then drove to a second Wawa in the 7800 block of West Flagler Street where he purchased 218.08 gallons of diesel across two transactions for $340.14. A Wawa employee later confirmed that Ortega had used the same credit card to purchase $2,689 worth of fuel at multiple Wawa locations. The card is linked to a bank in Hong Kong. 

On May 13th, Ortega attempted to use six different credit cards across 12 transactions at a RaceTrac located in the 12800 block of SW 152nd Street. All 12 transactions were declined. 

It is unclear when he began reselling diesel fuel to trucking companies, and which companies may have been involved.

Ortega was arrested on June 25th without incident and provided police with a statement, waiving his Miranda rights. He is facing charges of organized scheme to defraud, grand theft, retail fuel theft with a modified vehicle and fraudulent use of a credit card for $100 or more.