Las Vegas Officer, Wife Accused of $25K Luxury Fraud Spree

A suspended Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department officer and his wife are accused of conducting a sophisticated credit card fraud operation that spanned Nevada and California, allegedly accumulating over $25,000 in luxury goods and gift cards before attempting to dispute the charges. Antonio Chavez, 28, and Claudia Guzman-Marquez, 30, face multiple felony charges including theft, burglary, conspiracy, and perjury.

According to court documents obtained by the Las Vegas Review-Journal, the couple is alleged to have made significant purchases between May 25 and Aug. 3, subsequently claiming their credit cards had been stolen to dispute the transactions. Detective Theodore Snodgrass stated in a warrant application that the couple intentionally bought expensive items and gift cards, planning to dispute the charges as fraudulent.

On May 25, Chavez and Guzman-Marquez allegedly purchased over $13,000 in gift cards from Town Square Concierge on South Las Vegas Boulevard. They then disputed these charges with credit card companies Capital One and American Express. Chavez also allegedly disputed a purchase of more than $1,200 from an Apple Store, claiming his wallet had been stolen. Investigators noted that Chavez did not dispute charges made prior to the alleged fraud and waited to report his American Express card stolen.

That same day, Guzman-Marquez reportedly used Citibank and JPMorgan Chase cards to make purchases, including two Louis Vuitton transactions totaling over $11,000, before disputing them. The alleged scheme extended into California, where Guzman-Marquez reportedly disputed American Express charges made in June. One such dispute involved a $5,000 gift card purchase at Fashion Island in Newport Beach.

These California-purchased gift cards were later used for transactions at an automotive shop and an Aritzia store in Las Vegas. Chavez reportedly admitted to investigators that he conspired with his wife and an individual in California to carry out the commercial fraud scheme targeting stores and credit card companies. Chief Deputy District Attorney Eckley Keach noted Chavez's familiarity with the law, stating he "violated the law willfully because he wanted to enrich himself and his family."

Guzman-Marquez, who is pregnant, allegedly made similar admissions, and prosecutors hold her equally responsible. Prosecutors sought $100,000 bail for Chavez, including a request for house arrest and a hearing to determine the source of funds if bail was posted. However, Las Vegas Justice of the Peace Rebecca Saxe ordered Chavez released without bail, citing his lack of criminal history, community ties, and the nonviolent nature of the charges. He was placed under electronic monitoring, as was Guzman-Marquez.

Chavez has been employed by the Metropolitan Police Department since 2020 and is currently suspended without pay. His attorney, Robert Draskovich, emphasized Chavez's cooperation with investigators and his presumed innocence. Draskovich indicated that the defense and prosecution are working towards an "equitable resolution."