HARRISBURG, PA — A Lehigh County man is facing numerous charges after being accused of orchestrating a large-scale scheme to use stolen credit cards for purchases totaling nearly $100,000 in merchandise from Lowe’s stores across Pennsylvania.
Attorney General Dave Sunday announced the charges against 33-year-old Alex Jose Rulan of Allentown, noting that the investigation was conducted by the Office of Attorney General’s Organized Retail Crime Unit. The charges against Rulan include corrupt organizations, organized retail theft, criminal conspiracy, identity theft, and related offenses.
“This defendant systematically targeted consumers and stores across the Commonwealth to steal high-dollar goods,” Attorney General Sunday stated. “The diligent work of our Organized Retail Crime Unit has stopped another criminal enterprise from inflicting further harm on hard-working Pennsylvanians.”
Officials allege that Rulan used stolen store credit cards to obtain various pieces of high-value merchandise, including flooring, air conditioning units, and vacuums, from at least 23 Lowe’s stores in over a dozen Pennsylvania counties. Between June 2023 and December 2023, Rulan reportedly amassed approximately $96,000 in fraudulent purchases. Authorities also stated that on some occasions, he used fabricated identification to impersonate the owners of the stolen credit cards.
The case came to light earlier this year when Lowe’s Companies, Inc. flagged suspicious activity and reported it to investigators. The company’s cooperation played a significant role in uncovering what officials describe as an organized retail theft operation.
Rulan is currently being held at Montgomery County Jail on unrelated charges. The investigation remains ongoing, and prosecutors have indicated the possibility of additional developments.
Senior Deputy Attorney General Philip M. McCarthy is leading the prosecution in this case. Authorities stressed that all criminal charges are allegations and that defendants, including Rulan, are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty in a court of law.
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