Guilty: ‘Grinch’ Who Targeted Club-goers and Bought $420G of Lux Goods with Stolen Cards

A man known as “The Grinch” was convicted of being the ringleader of a crime gang that targeted intoxicated patrons in Manhattan nightclubs, swiped credit cards and mobile phones, and purchased more the $420,000 worth of goods that his gang then resold.

The Apple store on Fifth Avenue, which is open 24 hours a day, was a frequent retail outlet for the purchase of expensive tech products by the gang of three men and one woman using the stolen credit credits and iPhones, prosecutors said.

Julian Pomales, who was also known as “the Grinch” and “Juju,” was tagged as the ringleader by prosecutors. He had adopted the Dr. Seuss character the “Grinch” as the gang’s mascot, and he posed on social media with a necklace depicting the green-faced Grinch in a red Santa cap.

He was convicted on April 9 on multiple counts of grand larceny, identity-theft robbery, burglary, and conspiracy, according to Manhattan DA Alvin Bragg. Pomales’s sentencing is set for June 11.

Two other crime-ring members—Promise “P” Shippy and Blerina Prelvukaj, aka “Winter”—previously pleaded guilty to conspiracy for their roles in the crime spree that prosecutors said went from October 2022 to August 2023. A fourth person, Malcolm Scott, was arrested back in February 2024 along with the other suspects, but details on his case were not immediately available.

In several instances, defendants charged tens of thousands of dollars in iPhones and MacBooks, often making repeat over-the-counter retail purchases, prosecutors said. The Apple Store’s 24-hour location on Fifth Avenue was a favored stop. In one three-hour period on a single night, the “Grinch-sters” made more than $150,000 worth of purchases at the store, the indictment said.

The suspects described their criminal activity as “Grinch-ing” and referred to themselves as the “Grinch-sters” or “Grinch boys,” prosecutors said.

And Pomales and Scott frequently posted pictures to social media depicting themselves with cash bundles, stacks of brand-new Apple products, and full shopping bags inside Apple store locations, prosecutors claimed. In another instance, Pomales even filmed a music video posted on YouTube wearing several of the items he allegedly purchased with stolen credit cards at other upscale luxury stores including Amiri, Loewe, and Christian Dior.

“As the leader of the ‘Grinch-sters,’ Julian Pomales specifically sought out and targeted intoxicated New Yorkers enjoying our borough’s vibrant nightlife,” said DA Bragg.

Ralph Cherchian, the defense attorney for Pomales, did not return a call seeking comment.

At the time of the original arrest of the alleged gang members in February 2024, Bragg had said: “We are working with retailers to make sure their business practices do not encourage large-scale, late-night, unauthorized purchases. But with phone thefts yielding increasingly large payouts, we are also urging New Yorkers to take precautions. Never hand your phone to a stranger and always use strong passcodes. Keep an eye on your wallet and personal belongings, and frequently check your credit-card statements for fraud.”