LAKE BUENA VISTA, Fla. — A New York man is facing charges in Orange County after accusations of using a fraudulent credit card, racking up thousands of dollars in charges at a Disney resort.
Investigators arrested Justin Lara. He’s charged with grand theft by fraud.
According to an arrest affidavit, he claimed to be in town on business using a company credit card where he tried to spend more than $2,000. When he was approached about the outstanding balance, resort security said his story didn’t add up.
After his arrest, investigators say they found fake IDs, blank checks and other suspicious items.
The arrest affidavit says Lara checked in to the Swan Resort on Disney property on June 13. The company credit card on file had the name Brian Smith, who Lara allegedly said was his boss, but the card was flagged as fraudulent.
After calling a number on file resort, staff believed they were talking to Smith and tried to process the payment using several other credit cards that kept getting declined.
Deputies say Lara told them he wasn’t aware anything was wrong until they arrived at the resort.
Investigators told Lara to call his alleged boss, saying he then told them he didn’t have his direct number and was not responsible for paying for any expenses. He also allegedly told them he was not aware of the card being fraudulent.
Because he couldn’t pay the charges or explain the reason it was flagged as fraudulent, he was arrested.
A judge ordered that if posts bail, he can’t leave the state of Florida among other things, including not stepping foot on Disney property.
“I’m going to state the bond at $2500. I’m going to require the defendant not return to any Disney property, and no contact with Steve English, the security manager at Swan Hotel,” the judge said.
Lara was not present for his first appearance due to being hospitalized.
WFTV has reached out to the Orange County Sheriff’s Office to request the body camera video of Lara’s arrest and to learn what landed him in the hospital.
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