Guo Xing Chen : Man may be linked to Target data breach

News reports now say that the Georgetown Police Department in Texas has withdrawn its allegation that a man arrested for fraud also may have been involved in the Target Corp. data breach from last December that compromised 40 million credit and debit card details and the personal information on 70 million customers.

According to an arrest affidavit, 40-year-old Guo Xing Chen of Houston may have been involved in the $70 million Target credit card breach in December 2013. Police in Georgetown said they do not believe Chen was responsible for the initial crime, which exposed personal information belonging to more than 100 million customers.

Police say on December 12, Guo Xing Chen used a stolen credit or debit card to purchase several gift cards at a Target store at 1021 West University Avenue in Georgetown and other Target stores in Round Rock and Temple.

Police also believe Chen used the stolen cards the previous day at a Target store in Temple, Texas.

Guo Xing Chen was arrested on Monday for credit card abuse and fraudulent identity charges. Bond was set at $40,000. It remains unclear where he obtained the cards.

An internal “Be On The Lookout” alert had been issued within Central Texas Target stores.

The affidavit says Chen had an outstanding felony warrant for credit or debit card abuse from the State of Arkansas.

Agencies/Canadajournal