Allentown Man Charged with $100K Credit Card Fraud Across Pennsylvania

Alex Jose Rulan, a 33-year-old man from Allentown, Pennsylvania, has been charged with multiple offenses, including organized retail theft and identity theft, for using stolen credit cards to buy nearly $100,000 in merchandise from Lowe’s stores across the state. From June to December 2023, Rulan reportedly made purchases totaling approximately $96,000 at 23 Lowe’s locations, often using fraudulent IDs to impersonate the credit card owners. Attorney General Dave Sunday emphasized that Rulan systematically targeted consumers and stores, leading to significant financial harm. Rulan is currently incarcerated in Montgomery County Jail on prior charges, and the investigation into his activities remains ongoing. His criminal charges include 84 felonies and 38 misdemeanors related to these thefts. The Organized Retail Crime Unit's efforts were credited for halting Rulan's alleged criminal enterprise before it could inflict further damage on Pennsylvania residents.