A Connecticut man has been arraigned in federal court for an alleged scheme to use doors to collect fraudulent store credits.
Federal authorities say Alexandre Henrique Costa-Mota, 26, entered more than two dozen Home Depot stores in Connecticut and several other states dressed like a contractor. Prosecutors say he picked up doors, loaded them onto a cart and then brought them to the return desk for store credit.
Federal investigators allege Costa-Mota often used false identification when store employees asked to scan his driver’s license before issuing the non-receipted returns.
“Costa-Mota was provided with a store credit that he later redeemed at other stores, mainly located in Connecticut,” the Department of Justice said in a statement. “At times, when the stores refused to accept the receiptless returns, Costa-Mota simply exited the stores with the Anderson doors without paying for them.”
He then returned the doors at other stores for store credit.
Prosecutors allege Costa-Mota, a West Hartford resident, received approximately 370 fraudulent store credits, valued at $297,332.
Investigators tracked Costa-Mota using cell phone records and video surveillance.
A federal grand jury in Providence, Rhode Island, returned an indictment on July 26, charging Costa-Mota with wire fraud and conspiracy. He was arraigned this week before a federal judge and ordered detained.
Costa-Mota is represented by a public defender who did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
