In Miami, a Venezuelan man is arrested for a million-dollar theft from his employer to spend on virtual TikTok gifts

By: Elia Y. Pacheco I. Miami, USA — Authorities arrested Ricardo José Blanco Núñez, a 33-year-old Venezuelan citizen, accused of stealing more than 800 thousand dollars in memory cards from the company he worked for, Abound Trading, with the aim of selling them and using the money to buy virtual gifts on TikTok, seeking to gain notoriety in live streams. According to the investigation, Blanco Núñez would have confessed to the theft of merchandise valued at US$811,250, part of a total deficit of US$2.5 million reported by the company. The accused was captured on February 2, 2026, when he allegedly attempted to commit a new theft. The Venezuelan faces charges for theft of cargo exceeding US$50,000, a felony under Florida law. He is currently being held without bond in the Miami-Dade County jail and is represented by the Public Defender’s Office.

Beyond the economic impact, the case has reignited the debate on the risks of digital validation addiction. Studies such as the one published by the American Psychological Association (APA) in 2023 have warned that compulsive spending linked to social media can be associated with behavioral disorders, especially when seeking immediate approval through popularity metrics.

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The legal situation of Blanco Núñez could become even more complicated in the immigration field, as the accused remains under detention by the Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), which opens the door to possible additional consequences once the judicial process advances. Authorities continue to investigate the case while the affected company assesses the full extent of the losses.