Latin Salsa Singer Arrested for Numerous Felony Counts

Los Angeles: On Aril 29, 2005, Commercial Crimes Division Detectives arrested Omar Adalberto Arroyo at Los Angeles World Airport after his extradition from Costa Rica by United States Marshals.

Arroyo was wanted on 45 felony counts for Grand Theft, Identity Theft, Forgery, Perjury, and Credit Card Fraud. Arroyo was part of a ring of suspects operating children’s music schools in Southern California.

The suspects would obtain the parents financial information and make unauthorized credit transactions creating a loss to over 200 Hispanic families and numerous financial institutions in excess of $1,500,000.

Arroyo became a fugitive in October 2001, after the arrest of a second suspect, Mario Yunis, who last year received a 12 year sentence on this case. Commercial Crimes Division Detectives initiated a manhunt, and tracked Arroyo to Florida, Puerto Rico, New York, Canada, Mexico City, and Costa Rica, where the Costa Rican Interpol arrested him.

Arroyo refused to be extradited and remained in Costa Rican custody pending an official request for extradition by the Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office, High Tech Crime Unit. Twenty months later, Arroyo called the United States Embassy in Costa Rica, requesting his return to the United States.

Arroyo is scheduled to be arraigned on May 18, 2005, at the Van Nuys Superior Court.