Atlantic Highlands Man Named In Credit Card Theft Ring

ATLANTIC HIGHLANDS, NJ — A 22-year-old Atlantic Highlands man was named in a widespread Monmouth County credit card theft ring, a ring that police say was run by a Colts Neck youth tennis instructor. That same tennis coach, Terry Kuo, has been previously accused of molesting youth players he taught at the Colts Neck Racquet Club, and producing child porn.

Noah Kluin, 22, is the Atlantic Highlands resident. According to the Monmouth County prosecutor, he worked alongside Kuo by applying for credit cards under fake names and then putting charges on those cards. They would buy Apple MacBooks, iPads and iPhones; luxury jewelry and clothing; high-end electronics and tennis equipment, police said.

Kluin, Kuo and others in the ring would then sell the high-end items on eBay.

In total, Kuo and his co-conspirators fraudulently obtained more than 120 credit cards, and purchased more than $400,000 in luxury goods. As part of the operation, more than $200,000 in cryptocurrency was also seized by Monmouth County law enforcement – the first seizure of its kind by a law enforcement agency in the state of New Jersey.

The ring often invested the criminal proceeds in various digital asset platforms used to buy, sell and store cryptocurrency such as Bitcoin.

Other local young men were also allegedly involved in the credit card theft ring, said the county prosecutor: Bryan Levin, 26, of Old Bridge, was arrested, and a warrant was issued for Francis Munoz, 21, of Perth Amboy. He has not yet been found by authorities.

Barbara Cirillo, 63, of Jackson, worked at a bank in Colts Neck. Police say she was involved in the conspiracy, including opening fraudulent bank accounts for Kuo. Cirillo was arrested on January 23, 2019.

Kuo's parents, George and Lynn Kuo, of Neptune Township were also arrested after prosecutors say they hid and destroyed evidence for their son.

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.

Police started investigating Kuo after one of his 13-year-old tennis students told an adult he was acting inappropriately towards them. 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.

Kuo is currently sitting in the Monmouth County Jail. Kuo also goes by the name "Terry Lee."

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