Florida Man Charged With $40K Scam Involving Seasoning
FILE - The Target logo displayed on a sign outside a store, Nov. 18, 2025, in Salem, N.H. (AP Photo/Charles Krupa, File)
Taco seasoning packets have become the centerpiece of what Florida officials describe as a months-long trading card theft scheme that allegedly brought in nearly $40,000, according to USA Today.
Florida Attorney General James Uthmeier’s office reports that 39-year-old Keith Wallis used self-checkout lanes at Target stores from Miami to Orlando to pay only for 99-cent seasoning packets while allegedly taking high-value trading card boxes without paying, WFAA reports. Investigators say Wallis repeated the tactic 75 times between July 2025 and February 2026 before reselling the cards on eBay. Target estimates its losses at over $10,000.
Wallis faces charges including felony organized retail theft, three counts of dealing in stolen property, and one count of felony money laundering. If convicted on all charges, he could face up to 90 years in prison. Authorities say the investigation is ongoing and that Wallis is also suspected of committing similar thefts at Walmart and Publix stores in Florida, NBC 6 reports.
“This arrest sends a clear message that organized retail theft, no matter how coordinated or far-reaching, will be aggressively investigated and prosecuted,” said Palm Beach County Sheriff Ric Bradshaw. Attorney General Uthmeier added that such schemes increase costs for shoppers and will be met with “the maximum punishment allowed under the law.”
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