Accused Fraudster Chloe Castellanos Appears in Miami-Dade Court
MIAMI-DADE COUNTY, Fla. — A 37-year-old woman, Chloe Castellanos, is facing serious fraud charges after Miami-Dade economic crimes detectives arrested her on Tuesday for allegedly exploiting stolen identities to defraud banks.
Castellanos appeared in court Wednesday, charged with nine offenses including organized fraud, identity theft, and financial institution fraud. Detectives say she has been involved in multiple schemes to impersonate victims and drain funds from fraudulent bank accounts.
According to reports, Castellanos used stolen identity data to open an account at Regions Bank, receiving an $18,000 wire transfer from a fraudulent Wells Fargo account in May. In June, she accessed a victim’s home equity line of credit through Truist Bank and withdrew $8,000 from a teller in person.
“She is involved in falsely impersonating victims so that she can open bank accounts, have money deposited, and then steal the money,” Miami-Dade Circuit Judge Mindy Glazer said during the hearing.
Detectives found identity information stored on Castellanos’ phone during her arrest in the Princeton neighborhood. They believe this case is just one part of a larger fraud operation and said additional charges are expected.
Castellanos remains held at the Turner Guilford Knight Correctional Center on a $20,000 bond. Judge Glazer required proof that any bond payment must come from legitimate sources.
How to Report Identity Theft:
Federal Trade Commission: IdentityTheft.gov
or call 1-877-438-4338
Contact all major credit bureaus to request fraud alerts or credit freezes.
Notify the fraud departments at your bank and other financial institutions.
Tips to Prevent Identity Theft:
Don’t respond to messages from unknown sources.
Never share sensitive information like your SSN or bank account.
Check mail regularly and use holds when away.
Monitor account activity for unauthorized transactions.
Be cautious with public Wi-Fi and ATM machines.
Store important personal information securely.
Anyone with information is urged to call Miami-Dade Crime Stoppers at 305-471-8477 to remain anonymous.
