A Florida man has been charged in a multi-county retail theft case after authorities said he used 99-cent taco seasoning packets to steal trading card bundles from Target stores.
Florida Attorney General James Uthmeier confirmed the arrest of 39-year-old Keith Wallis of Palm Beach, who prosecutors say carried out dozens of thefts between July 2025 and February 2026.
Investigators allege the scheme targeted multiple Target locations and resulted in thousands of dollars in losses.
Suspect accused of swapping taco seasoning for trading cards
According to the Attorney General’s Office, Wallis selected large boxes of trading cards along with an equal number of taco seasoning packets before going through self-checkout.
Authorities say he scanned and paid only for the 99-cent seasoning packets while leaving with the trading cards, effectively paying a fraction of their value.
Investigators allege Wallis was involved in around 75 thefts at Target stores across Florida, with reported losses exceeding $10,000. Officials also say he resold trading cards through an online marketplace, generating nearly $40,000.
The document doesn’t specify what type of trading cards were stolen. Target stocks numerous varieties of sports trading cards as well as card products for Star Wars, Doctor Who, Pokemon, and more, the latter of which is well-known for being heavily scalped.
Wallis has been charged with two counts of felony organized retail theft, three counts of dealing in stolen property, and one count of money laundering. Authorities say he could face up to 90 years in prison if found guilty on all counts.
While it’s not known if this case involved Pokemon cards, their theft has become a frequent occurence. In February, thieves tunnelled through the wall of a store and stole cards worth thousands of dollars.
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