Authorities arrested a cruise passenger at Brazil’s Port of Salvador de Bahia on January 22 for multiple fraudulent credit card transactions.
The unidentified male suspect is believed to have used the cards after boarding the cruise vessel in Santos, Brazil on January 19.
During its weeklong South America itinerary, the 41-year-old allegedly made multiple fraudulent transactions by registering different cards to a virtual US-issued credit card.
With several accounts under his control, the Brasília resident gambled at the ship’s casino and purchased high-end items like luxury perfumes and alcohol.
According to NewsBreak, the man was able to charge over $6,000 before financial institutions began flagging and rejecting his transactions.
Local authorities later apprehended him as he disembarked the vessel on January 22. Police say he was carrying two vessel access cards, an iPhone, and cash worth $2,600.
Brazilian police did not disclose which cruise the suspect boarded but news outlets suggest it was the MSC Seaview since it was the only cruise ship that left Santos on the 19th and called on the Salvador de Bahia Port on the 22nd.
MSC Cruises regularly visits the Brazilian port as part of its South American itineraries. Along with MSC Seaview, the vessels MSC Grandiosa, MSC Armonia, MSC Preziosa, MSC Orchestra, MSC Poesia, MSC Fantasia, and MSC Musica frequent the destination.
Other Casino-Related Incidents From 2024
In a similar incident, four cruise ship guests were arrested in August 2024 for credit card fraud. Authorities detained them for cashing in large amounts onboard MSC Magnifica’s casino.
Meanwhile, another passenger caused a public outcry in Australia when he went overboard after racking up over $9,000 of casino debt in P&O Australia’s Pacific Adventure.
Cruise ship casinos can be a lot of fun but it’s always best to follow certain dos and don’ts like avoiding emotional gambling decisions, chasing losses, and too much alcohol.
