Three charged with bank fraud of $13,043 against Puerto Rico company
Judge finds probable cause for arrest in a case involving allegedly falsified checks from a FirstBank commercial account between February and April 2024.
PhotoThe short version
- El Nuevo Día reports the three men charged are Yamil J. Santiago González, Julián L. Vázquez Fuentes and Edwin A. Llanos Rosa
- Police said the scheme caused a $13,043.35 loss to Gema Recycling Services Inc via falsified checks deposited through Oriental Bank mobile banking
- El Vocero reports the police report did not specify the total amount or name the victim company
- Judge Lisa M. Durán Ortiz set a $33,000 bond and scheduled a preliminary hearing for Nov. 4 2026 in San Juan
Charges filed after bank fraud probe
A judge in San Juan found probable cause to arrest three men for their alleged roles in a bank fraud scheme that caused a loss of $13,043.35 to Gema Recycling Services, Inc. El Nuevo Día reported. The defendants are Yamil J. Santiago González, Julián L. Vázquez Fuentes and Edwin A. Llanos Rosa.
According to the police investigation cited by both outlets, the case began after the company filed complaints about several falsified checks drawn on its FirstBank commercial account. The incidents allegedly took place between February and April 2024. Some of the checks were deposited via mobile banking into personal accounts at Oriental Bank belonging to Santiago González and Vázquez Fuentes, while Llanos Rosa allegedly cashed two checks in person at different bank branches in the metropolitan area.
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Bail and next court date
Judge Lisa M. Durán Ortiz set a total bond of $33,000. An arrest warrant was issued for Llanos Rosa, while the other two men posted bond with a private surety and were released, El Vocero reported. The preliminary hearing is scheduled for Nov. 4, 2026 in Courtroom 605 at the San Juan courthouse.
The charges, filed by prosecutor Josué Padilla Costoso of the Economic Crimes Division, are under Articles 202(b) (fraud), 182 (unlawful appropriation) and 217 (possession and transfer of false documents) of the Puerto Rico Penal Code. The investigation was handled by the Bank Robbery Division of the Auxiliary Superintendency in Criminal Investigations (SAIC).
Where the sources differ
Both El Nuevo Día and El Vocero agree on the names of the three defendants, the judge, the prosecutor, the three Penal Code articles charged, the time period of the alleged offenses, the method of mobile deposits into Oriental Bank accounts, and Llanos Rosa allegedly cashing two checks in person. El Nuevo Día states the victim company is Gema Recycling Services, Inc. and the exact loss was $13,043.35; El Vocero says the police report did not identify the company or specify the total amount involved. El Nuevo Día reports a single $33,000 bond while El Vocero notes a $9,000 bond specifically for the arrest warrant of Llanos Rosa.
What the reports do not say
The reports do not state whether any of the allegedly stolen money was recovered, the total number of checks involved, whether the defendants have prior records, or what specific steps the banks took after the deposits. It is also unclear when the three men were arrested or if all appeared before the judge on the same day.
Sources
Every link below was opened and checked when this story was published. Official means a government body, agency or the organization itself; Reporting means a news outlet.
- Reporting Formulan cargos contra tres personas por presunto fraude bancario de $13,043 contra compañía en Puerto Rico
- Reporting Tres hombres enfrentan cargos por presunta falsificación de cheques y fraude bancario
How we checked this
El Nuevo Día and El Vocero both covered the arraignment and probable-cause determination by Judge Lisa M. Durán Ortiz on Oct. 24, 2026. The identification of the victim company and the precise loss figure rest solely on El Nuevo Día, while details on individual bond amounts for Llanos Rosa rest on El Vocero.
Compiled by the PuertoRico.com News Desk from the reports and statements listed above, and checked against them before publishing. It does not include original interviews. Spot an error? Email support@puertorico.com with a link to this story.