Indicted Colts Neck Tennis Coach Ran Credit Card Theft Ring: Cops

COLTS NECK, NJ — A Colts Neck youth tennis instructor, who was already charged with multiple counts of child sexual assault, has now been charged with running a sixteen-person identity theft ring. Terry Kuo's parents, who live in Neptune Twp., were also arrested after police say they tried to hide evidence of what their son was allegedly up to.

A Colts Neck-based banker who police say streamlined his financial transactions was arrested in the take down, as well.

Terry Kuo, also known as “Victor Lee,” or “Young Sheng Tang," who at one point worked as a youth tennis instructor at the Colts Neck Racquet Club, was charged with 15 counts of conspiracy, theft by deception, insurance fraud and forgery, announced Monmouth County Prosecutor Chris Gramiccioni over the weekend.

As Patch previously reported, Kuo has already been accused of — and indicted for — 47 counts of underage sex assault, kidnapping and manufacturing of child pornography.

He remains behind bars at the Monmouth County jail.

The investigation into his alleged sex crimes started after one of Kuo's 13-year-old tennis students alleged various instances of sexual misconduct at Kuo's hands during the summer and fall of 2017. A subsequent investigation conducted by the Marlboro police department and the county prosecutor revealed child pornography on Kuo's phone as well as improper conduct with additional juveniles, police said.

According to the Two River Times, Kuo listed himself on his LinkedIn page as the founder and chief operating officer at ATS Tennis, 36 Artisan Way in Colts Neck. That's the same address as the Colts Neck Racquet Club.

Investigators digging into Kuo's background now allege that he also ran an elaborate stolen credit card ring: From January 2015 to November 2017, Kuo and more than a dozen co-conspirators throughout Monmouth County and New York City engaged in an ongoing scheme to defraud retail businesses and/or the financial institutions that issued those credit cards.

On many occasions, Kuo and his co-conspirators obtained lines of credit by stealing the identities of other individuals. They then made large purchases and never paid the debts.

They typically then sold the items for cash on eBay, the prosecutor said. Once the fraudulently obtained merchandise was sold for cash, Kuo and other co-conspirators opened fraudulent bank accounts in the names of individuals whose identities were stolen.

A bank employee at a Colts Neck financial institution, Barbara Cirillo, assisted Kuo and several other co-conspirators opening such fake accounts, the county prosecutor said. To avoid detection by bank officials and law enforcement, deposits were structured in amounts less the $10,000 to avoid the triggering of the statutory required bank reporting requirements.

In a further effort to conceal and disguise monies derived from the fraud scheme, the defendants often invested the criminal proceeds in various digital asset platforms used to buy, sell and store cryptocurrency such as Bitcoin.

Also charged as part of the scheme and conspiracy were Kuo’s parents, George and Lynn Kuo, and Kuo’s cousin, Yuhsuan Lin. After he was arrested, Kuo unsuccessfully directed his family members to conceal certain evidence and instrumentalities of Kuo’s crimes. These defendants took these items and belongings, storing them in secret locations, with the intention of selling them or destroying them, in an attempt to help Kuo evade detection by law enforcement.

In total, Kuo and his co-conspirators fraudulently obtained more than 120 credit cards, and obtained more than $400,000 in merchandise as a result of the scheme. Items typically purchased include Apple MacBooks, iPads and iPhones; luxury jewelry and clothing; high-end electronics; and tennis equipment. As part of the operation, more than $200,000 in cryptocurrency was seized pursuant to court order by Monmouth County law enforcement – the first seizure of its kind by a law enforcement agency in the state of New Jersey.

The following individuals were arrested and charged as follows:

Terry Kuo, 27, of Colts Neck
Stuart Gordon, 29, of New York, New York, agreed with Kuo to commit a scheme to defraud financial institutions by applying for credit cards, charging credit cards, disputing legitimate purchases and organizing the sale of fraudulently obtained goods for the enterprise. Gordon was arrested on January 24, 2019.
Michael Marrella, 28, of Brooklyn, New York, agreed with Kuo to commit a scheme to defraud financial institutions. Marrella participated by applying for credit cards, charging credit cards, disputing legitimate purchases and organizing the sale of fraudulently obtained goods for the enterprise. Marrella was arrested on January 24, 2019.
Camilo Hatuka, 26, of East Windsor, agreed with Kuo to commit a scheme to defraud financial institutions. Hatuka participated by applying for credit cards, charging credit cards, disputing legitimate purchases and organizing the sale of fraudulently obtained goods for the enterprise. Hatuka was arrested on January 23, 2019.
Noah Kluin, 22, of Atlantic Highlands, agreed with Kuo to commit a scheme to defraud financial institutions. Kluin participated by applying for credit cards, charging credit cards, disputing legitimate purchases and organizing the sale of fraudulently obtained goods for the enterprise.

Christopher Miranda, 34, of Freehold, agreed with Kuo to commit a scheme to defraud financial institutions. Miranda participated by applying for credit cards, charging credit cards, disputing legitimate purchases and organizing the sale of fraudulently obtained goods for the enterprise. Miranda was arrested on January 23, 2019.
Andre Fiel, 27, of Ocean Township, agreed with Kuo to commit a scheme to defraud financial institutions. Fiel participated by applying for credit cards, charging credit cards,
disputing legitimate purchases and organizing the sale of fraudulently obtained goods for the
enterprise. Fiel was arrested on January 23, 2019.
Dave Lin, 35, of Philadelphia, PA, agreed and conspired with Kuo to defraud financial
institutions. Lin participated in the fraud scheme by applying for credit cards, charging credit
cards and disputing legitimate purchases. Lin was arraested on January 24, 2019.
Bryan Levin, 26, of Old Bridge, agreed with Kuo to commit a scheme to defraud financial institutions. Levin participated by applying for credit cards, charging credit cards, disputing legitimate purchases and organizing the sale of fraudulently obtained goods for the enterprise.
Francis Munoz, 21, of Perth Amboy, agreed and conspired with Kuo to defraud financial institutions. Munoz participated in the fraud scheme by applying for credit cards, charging credit cards and disputing legitimate purchases. There is an outstanding warrant for Munoz but he has not been arrested.
Victor Lee, 27, of Campton, New Hampshire, agreed and conspired with Kuo to defraud financial institutions. Lee participated in the fraud scheme by applying for credit cards, charging credit cards and providing Kuo with the means to obtain a false identity. Lee was arrested on January 25, 2019.
Hayden Gaspich, 26, of Virginia Beach, VA, agreed and conspired with Kuo to defraud financial institutions with Kuo. Gaspich participated in the fraud scheme by applying for credit cards, charging credit cards and disputing legitimate purchases.
Barbara Cirillo, 63, of Jackson, was a bank employee at a financial institution in Colts Neck. Cirillo was the personal banker for Kuo and was involved in the conspiracy, including opening fraudulent bank accounts. Cirillo was arrested on January 23, 2019.

Lynn Kuo, 52, of Neptune Township, who is the mother of Terry Kuo, was arrested on January 23, 2019 and has been charged with 4 th degree Hindering Apprehension of Another and 4th degree Tampering with Evidence, for attempting to conceal a number her son’s illicit belongings from law enforcement.

George Kuo, 65, of Neptune Township, the father of Terry Kuo, was arrested on January 23, 2019 and has been charged with 4 th degree Hindering Apprehension of Another and 4th degree Tampering with Evidence. On or about for attempting to hide a number of his son’s illicit belongings from law enforcement.

Yuhsuan Lin, 29, of Rockville Maryland, a cousin of Terry Kuo, arrested on January 25, 2019 and has been charged with 4 th degree Hindering Apprehension of Another and 4 th degree Tampering with Evidence, for concealing a number of her cousin’s illicit belongings from law enforcement.

Kuo had previously been indicted for:

• Three counts of first-degree Kidnapping
• Two counts of first-degree Aggravated Sexual Assault
• One count of second-degree Attempted Aggravated Sexual Assault
• Six counts of second-degree Sexual Assault
• Two counts of second-degree Attempted Sexual Assault
• Four counts of first-degree Causing or Permitting a Child to Engage in Child Pornography
• Four counts of second-degree Manufacturing Child Pornography
• Five counts of third-degree Possession of Child Pornography
• Two counts of fourth-degree Lewdness
• Three counts of third-degree Aggravated Criminal Sexual Contact
• Eight counts of fourth-degree Criminal Sexual Contact
• One count of fourth-degree Stalking
• Three counts of third-degree Endangering the Welfare of a Child
• Two counts of third-degree Obscenity

Related: More Child Sex Assault Charges For Colts Neck Tennis Coach

Image released by the Monmouth County Prosecutor