A passenger who used stolen identities to board Discovery Princess and fraudulently obtain $20,000 from the ship’s casino has been sentenced to more than four years in prison, bringing an end to a sophisticated scheme that federal authorities say stretched beyond a single cruise voyage.
Enrico Ronquillo, 38, a Philippine national and lawful permanent resident of the United States, received a 53-month prison sentence on 17th June 2026 after pleading guilty to false impersonation and aggravated identity theft.
The court also ordered him to pay more than $25,000 in restitution and imposed one year of supervised release following his prison term.
The fraud was uncovered during a Princess Cruises sailing aboard the 4,600-guest Discovery Princess, which departed from Seattle.
Authorities say Ronquillo used multiple stolen identities and fraudulent documents to gain passage on the vessel before targeting the ship’s casino for a series of cash advances.
Federal investigators believe Ronquillo may have used stolen credit card information to pay for the cruise itself. Once onboard, he allegedly assumed at least two separate identities as part of a scheme designed to avoid detection.
Cash Withdrawals Spread Across Multiple Transactions
According to court documents, Ronquillo obtained approximately $20,000 from the casino through a series of transactions rather than a single large withdrawal.
To facilitate the withdrawals, he submitted a forged IRS Form W-9 using a victim’s name, signature and Social Security number. The document is required for certain financial transactions and allowed the withdrawals to proceed without immediately triggering fraud concerns.
Authorities said the strategy enabled Ronquillo to complete at least four separate cash advances before questions were raised about his identity.
The scheme came to an abrupt end on 14th May 2025 when Discovery Princess called at Juneau, Alaska. A U.S. Customs and Border Protection officer conducting routine checks noticed inconsistencies with the identification Ronquillo presented.
Investigators determined that Ronquillo’s appearance did not match the photograph on the ID card. A subsequent search uncovered multiple documents, including two birth certificates, a counterfeit California driver’s licence and a backpack containing a large amount of cash.
The evidence led to a federal indictment in June 2025 and ultimately to Ronquillo’s guilty plea.
Federal officials strongly criticised the offences following the sentencing.
“Mr Ronquillo knowingly used stolen identities and personal information of innocent U.S. citizens to gain passage on a cruise ship and enrich himself at its casino,” said U.S. Attorney Michael J. Heyman for the District of Alaska.
Assistant Special Agent in Charge Zachary Pomerantz of the FBI Anchorage Field Office added: “This fraudster stole the identity of a U.S. citizen and impersonated the victim whilst on board a cruise ship, where he then continued to commit financial fraud crimes on the high seas.”
Attempted Escape Led To Second Arrest
Authorities say Ronquillo intended to leave the cruise early and had already purchased an airline ticket departing from Juneau on the day he was arrested. During questioning, he reportedly admitted that he planned to share the proceeds with an accomplice based in Seattle.
The case took another dramatic turn after his initial arrest.
Following his release on bail, Ronquillo allegedly removed his court-ordered electronic monitoring device and travelled to Juneau International Airport in an attempt to flee before trial.
He passed through airport security and reached his departure gate before officers from the Juneau Police Department arrested him for a second time.
He is currently being held at Lemon Creek Correctional Facility and is scheduled to appear in court on 16th July 2026 in connection with additional charges linked to the failed escape attempt.
Previous Cruise Ship Fraud Allegations
While prosecutors did not publicly detail all of Ronquillo’s previous cruise-related fraud schemes, court proceedings revealed that the Discovery Princess case was not his first attempt to exploit cruise lines.
One previously reported case dates back to 2023, when Ronquillo was arrested alongside Jaclyn Abaya after MSC Magnifica returned to PortMiami.
According to Miami-Dade police, U.S. Customs and Border Protection officers initially detained the pair after discovering that Abaya was wanted on an outstanding warrant. A search of their cabin allegedly uncovered methamphetamine and a credit card skimming device.
Further searches reportedly found altered and counterfeit birth certificates, fraudulent driver’s licences, counterfeit bank cards and materials allegedly used to manufacture fake identification documents.
Authorities also accused the pair of using seven different bank cards to pay nearly $13,000 in onboard charges during the voyage. Both were arrested on multiple felony charges, including organised fraud, trafficking in counterfeit credit cards and possession of equipment used to create fraudulent identification documents.
The earlier allegations, combined with Ronquillo’s admission that he had conducted similar schemes on other cruise ships, suggest investigators have been tracking a pattern of maritime-related fraud activity for several years.
The Discovery Princess case highlights the increasingly sophisticated methods criminals can use to target cruise ships, while also demonstrating the role played by customs officers and federal investigators in identifying fraudulent activity before suspects are able to leave port with stolen funds.
Get the best price on your cruise…
Related Posts
If you found this interesting, please share!
MSC Cruises has announced a comprehensive enhancement to its MSC Aurea Spa programme, introducing medical wellness treatments, AI-powered diagnostics and advanced beauty services across its entire fleet throughout 2026. The…
A transport strike on the Greek island of Santorini forced three cruise ships to alter their itineraries this week, leaving thousands of passengers facing disrupted holiday plans after local bus…
Carnival Splendor has been forced to cancel its sole port visit on a four-night voyage from Sydney after the cruise line’s pilotage provider could not supply a marine pilot to…
P&O Cruises has quietly updated its alcohol policy, introducing a significant change that will affect guests who attempt to bring more alcohol onboard than permitted at embarkation. Under the revised…
Source link
