Discovery Princess Cruise Passenger Gets Four Years for Casino Identity Theft Scheme
Posted on: June 26, 2026, 06:50h.
Last updated on: June 26, 2026, 07:49h.
- Enrico Ronquillo admitted using another person’s credit card information to obtain money through the Discovery Princess casino while sailing to Alaska
- US Customs officers uncovered the fraud after finding counterfeit identity documents, cash and stolen personal information during a search in Juneau
- The 38-year-old was sentenced to 53 months in prison, ordered to pay more than $25,000 in restitution and now faces deportation
A cruise passenger who boarded an Alaska-bound ship under a false identity and used stolen financial information to steal money from the onboard casino has been sentenced to more than four years in federal prison.
Enrico Ronquillo, 38, of Las Vegas, received a 53-month sentence on June 17 after pleading guilty to false impersonation of a US citizen and aggravated identity theft, according to the US Attorney’s Office for the District of Alaska.
Ronquillo fraudulently used a different individual’s credit card information to obtain money while at the ship’s casino, prosecutors said.
He also ordered to pay $25,260.53 in restitution to Princess Cruises for what prosecutors described as “his fraudulent access device activity while aboard the Discovery Princess.”
Ronquillo used a US citizen’s name, date of birth, and address when he submitted an online passenger application before boarding Princess Cruises’ Discovery Princess in Seattle on May 11, 2025, according to court filings.
Scheme Unravels
His scheme unraveled when US Customs and Border Protection officers inspected the vessel after it docked in Juneau on May 14, 2025. According to prosecutors, an officer searched Ronquillo’s backpack and found two birth certificates and a California driver’s license that appeared to be fraudulent.
The documents contained personally identifiable information belonging to an identity theft victim already known to investigators.
That victim later told authorities he had lost his original driver’s license in Las Vegas in 2023, according to the Justice Department.
Ronquillo was also carrying a large amount of cash in his pockets and backpack, prosecutors said. Police also seized Louis Vuitton bags and a purse, which will be credited toward Ronquillo’s restitution to Princess Cruises, according to court documents.
During questioning, Ronquillo admitted to the scheme and said he had committed similar frauds on cruise ships before, according to an affidavit cited by KTOO. He also told officers he was working with someone in Seattle and planned to split the proceeds.
Attempted Escape
After being released on bail, Ronquillo made one last break for freedom, cutting off an ankle monitor and attempting to catch a flight out of Alaska. He made it through airport security before being intercepted by Juneau police.
Ronquillo, a Philippine national and lawful permanent resident of the United States, is expected to face deportation proceedings after serving his sentence.
The Discovery Princess was not Ronquillo’s first cruise-related fraud accusation. In May 2024, he was arrested by accused of using multiple bank cards to run up nearly $12,900 in onboard charges.
Authorities also said they found counterfeit identification documents, fraudulent payment cards, and a credit-card skimming device in their cabin. The outcome of that case was not immediately clear.
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