The short version
- El Vocero and El Nuevo Día reported that Moon Pagán, 40, of Ponce, faces charges for aggravated illegal appropriation after allegedly using a FirstBank card of a deceased person
- Both outlets stated the events occurred on Sept. 9, 2025, when she allegedly used the card multiple times without authorization and took $4,474
- El Vocero reported the case was filed under Article 182 of the Puerto Rico Penal Code after consultation with prosecutor Alberto Flores
- El Nuevo Día and El Vocero said Judge Carlia Soto Padua found probable cause, set $500 bond which was posted, and scheduled a preliminary hearing for Nov. 10
Charges filed in Ponce court
A 40-year-old woman from Ponce was charged with aggravated illegal appropriation after she allegedly used a bank card belonging to a deceased person. El Vocero reported that Moon Pagán faces the charge for taking $4,474. The incidents took place on Sept. 9, 2025.
According to both El Vocero and El Nuevo Día, Pagán used the FirstBank card on multiple occasions without authorization. Agents from the REPAPD Division of the Ponce Criminal Investigation Corps handled the case.
Also on PuertoRico.com: Ponce travel guide
Court proceedings
Prosecutor Alberto Flores instructed that charges be filed under Article 182 of the Puerto Rico Penal Code, both outlets reported. The evidence was presented before Judge Carlia Soto Padua of the Ponce court, who found probable cause for arrest.
The judge set bail at $500, which was posted. A preliminary hearing was scheduled for Nov. 10, according to El Vocero and El Nuevo Día.
Where the sources differ
El Vocero and El Nuevo Día agree on all core facts including the defendant's name, age, residence, the amount taken, the date of the alleged acts, the bank, the specific charge under Article 182, the prosecutor, the judge, the bond amount and the preliminary hearing date. El Nuevo Día includes a police appeal for public tips with contact information that El Vocero does not mention. Both reports are nearly identical in the facts presented.
What the reports do not say
The sources do not identify the deceased card owner, state how the death was discovered in relation to the card use, or indicate whether the full $4,474 was recovered. They also do not say when the investigation began, how the suspect was identified or arrested, or whether any other charges were considered.
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 Usaba la tarjeta de una persona fallecida: Radican cargos contra mujer por presunta apropiación ilegal
- Reporting Usó tarjeta de una persona muerta: mujer enfrenta cargos por presunta apropiación ilegal en Ponce
How we checked this
Both El Vocero and El Nuevo Día reported the charges, court outcome and hearing date. The amount taken, the article of the penal code, the names of the prosecutor and judge, and the bond rest on both sources.
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.
Nils Huenerfuerst / Wikimedia Commons · CC BY 4.0PuertoRico.com is free, and readers like you keep it that way.
The PuertoRico.com newsroom checks every story against its sources and publishes it free. If this one helped, a contribution of any size keeps the next one free too.
Secure checkout by Stripe: card, Apple Pay, Google Pay or Link.
One payment, nothing to sign up for.
Contributions go to Puerto Rico.com, LLC. They are not charitable donations and are not tax-deductible. Payments are processed by Stripe.
Thank you for keeping PuertoRico.com free.
Your contribution went through. It helps pay for the next story.
Contributions go to Puerto Rico.com, LLC. They are not charitable donations and are not tax-deductible. Payments are processed by Stripe.