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He was living a good life - Now a Pasco Co. man is in jail for running a multi-million fraud ring

Even when detectives arrested him for fraud, Daniel Santos would bond out and continue his lifestyle. But this time, getting out of jail won't be so easy.

NEW PORT RICHEY, Fla. - In pictures, Daniel Santos was living a good life.

Wads of money. Guns. Jewelry. Nightclubs. Exotic cars. Living in a luxury high rise condo.

Even when Pasco County Sheriff's Office detectives arrested him for fraud within the past three years - 55 times to be exact - he would bond out and continue his lifestyle.

But this time, getting out of jail won't be so easy.

Santos, 22, was arrested on April 19 in Miami by Miami-Dade Police and U.S. Marshals for 48 fraud cases out of Pasco County, the sheriff's office announced Monday.

"These detectives watched Internet videos posted by the suspect and observed specific geographical details regarding the surroundings where Santos was hiding," the sheriff's office said in a statement. "Through relentless investigative efforts, detectives (Spencer) Hubbell and (Darren) Hill successfully identified the exact condominium building observed in the videos."

Santos obtained credit or debit card information through buying them from others, stealing them or "mail box hopping," said detectives, adding that his efforts were part of a national multi-million fraud ring that he led.

That ring involves 10 to 15 "main players" and hundreds of victims, Hubbell said.

"He was doing about five to $10,000 a day at times," he said. "We believe that based on the fraud..we're in the multi-million fraud range of cold hard cash that he's been able to get away with."

Santos, who has been on the run since October 2017, remained in jail Monday under no bond. He's also expected to face federal fraud charges, Hubbell said.

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