Two Teens Busted For Million-Dollar Lottery Scam At Texas Walmart

An investigation by police in San Angelo, Texas, along with Walmart’s internal investigators, has uncovered a sophisticated scheme by two teenage employees of a local Walmart Neighborhood Market, resulting in the theft believed to have exceeded a million dollars.

The suspects, Carmelo Daniel Amigleo and Ryan Munoz, both 18, have been charged with theft greater than $300,000 after allegedly creating fake winning lottery transactions and pocketing the cash.

The investigation began after Walmart Global’s investigative team uncovered what it determined to be fraudulent lottery activity. The team then identified the two suspects and contacted San Angelo police, who began to look into the accusations further.

According to KIDY-TV, Amigleo and Munoz orchestrated the fraudulent transactions between Jan. 1 and July 4 this year. During this period, they reportedly generated false lottery winnings ranging from $300 to $500 per transaction, according to evidence uncovered in surveillance footage and store records.

The surveillance footage confirmed that Amigleo and Munoz were both working at the times of the suspicious transactions. The scheme involved taking cash from the store’s registers and sometimes transferring funds to debit cards they controlled.

Authorities calculated that the pair had stolen $747,933 within this timeframe. However, an expanded investigation revealed that the total amount taken was even higher. How much higher is still uncertain, but investigators put the amount at more than $1 million.

Walmart has acknowledged that it wants to take on a more active role in lottery sales; it remains to be seen if this one incident will dampen the company’s enthusiasm.

Nowhere to hide

Investigators determined that the illicit activities funded a lifestyle far beyond the means of typical 18-year-old Walmart employees. On April 23, for example, both Amigleo and Munoz purchased brand-new 2024 Kawasaki dirt bikes from Family PowerSports.

Sales records show that Amigleo paid $6,737 in cash for his bike, while Munoz paid over $8,600 cash for his. The sales manager recalled the transactions and provided the necessary receipts to authorities.

Further investigation led police to the home of Munoz, where they discovered a Chevrolet Camaro. By running the vehicle’s plates, they traced its purchase back to Pee Wee Cray Fairly Reliable Used Cars, a dealership in Weatherford. The dealership owner confirmed that Munoz had paid $32,500 in cash for the car on Jan. 9.

The financial information prompted a deeper dive into the pair’s activities, revealing a pattern of high-end and expensive purchases funded by their fraudulent activities.

Amigleo and Munoz were arrested and charged with theft greater than $300,000. Under Texas law, this charge is a first-degree felony. If convicted, Amigleo and Munoz face potential prison sentences ranging from 5 years to life in prison, along with a possible fine of up to $10,000.

The investigation continues as authorities seek to recover the stolen funds and further analyze the extent of the fraudulent activities.