Chilean extradited to Utah accused of massive theft of stolen credit card data

Alex Rodrigo Valenzuela Monje, alias "VAL4K", aged 24, was extradited from Chile on 25 February and appeared before a federal court in Utah the following day.

Chilean extradited to Utah accused of massive theft of stolen credit card data

24-year-old Chilean faces federal charges in Salt Lake City for fraud involving stolen cards

A Chilean citizen was arraigned on Thursday, 26 February before a federal court in the District of Utah, one day after being extradited from Chile to the United States, according to cl.usembassy.gov.

Alex Rodrigo Valenzuela Monje, aged 24, known online as "VAL4K", faces charges of trafficking in tens of thousands of stolen credit card data and numbers. He pleaded not guilty to both counts brought against him.

Sealed indictment from 2023

A federal grand jury in Salt Lake City had indicted him in a sealed indictment on 8 August 2023. The United States formally presented an extradition request to Chile, which the Chilean Supreme Court initially approved on 22 April 2025.

Following several appeals to the Chilean Supreme Court, Valenzuela Monje was finally arrested on 14 January 2026 pursuant to that request. His transfer to United States territory was completed on 25 February 2026.

Charges: unauthorised access and unlawful transfer of means of identification

Valenzuela Monje stands accused of trafficking in devices for unauthorised access and unlawful transfer of means of identification for the purpose of facilitating criminal conduct. Both charges constitute federal offences under United States legislation.

International operation coordinated among multiple agencies

The investigation was led by the FBI Field Office in Salt Lake City, with support from Chile's Public Prosecution Service, the Investigation Police (PDI), the FBI Security Attaché's office in Santiago, the FBI in Miami, and the United States Customs and Border Protection Office.

The International Affairs Office of the Department of Justice worked in coordination with Chile's Public Prosecution Service Specialised Unit for International Cooperation and Extraditions (UCIEX) to bring about the detention and subsequent transfer of the accused.

The extradition was carried out by the FBI, the Utah State Bureau of Investigations and the Salt Lake City Police Department.

Source: Google News CL — Crime