Authorities have announced that they have arrested nearly 50 people in connection with an ATM skimming scam after a three-year operation. The skimmers were used to steal thousands of credit card numbers from LA ATMs.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office in the District of Rhode Island has charged six foreign nationals for their involvement in a scheme to install “skimming” devices on bank ATMs and retail store checkout units in at least six states. All six individuals are illegally present in the United States.
Officials have charged the suspects with not only using skimming devices to steal credit, debit, and benefit card information but also with creating new cards using the stolen data. The fraudulent cards were then used to withdraw cash from victims’ bank accounts and make unauthorized purchases.
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The U.S. Attorney’s Office District of Rhode Island recently shared a photo featuring six individuals. From top left to bottom right, the photo includes Nicolas Longin Codreanu, Ionut Zamfir, Armondo Ion Codreanu, Robby Vicson Codreanu, Mila Ciuciu, and Isabela Ignat Codreanu.
Here are the suspects and the charges filed against them:
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- Armando Ion Codreanu, 23, of Placentia,, CA, a citizen of Ireland: Conspiracy to commit access device fraud, conspiracy to commit bank fraud, and aggravated identity theft
- Isabela Ignat Codreanu, 23, of Anaheim and Placentia, CA, a citizen of Romania: Conspiracy to commit access device fraud
- Robby Vicson Codreanu, 20, Placentia, CA, a citizen of Great Britian: Conspiracy to commit access device fraud
- Mila Ciuciu, 20, of Placentia, CA, a citizen of Romania: Conspiracy to commit access device fraud
- Nicolas Longin Codreanu, 21, of Placentia, CA, a citizen of Romania and Ireland: Conspiracy to commit access device fraud, conspiracy to commit bank fraud, and aggravated identity theft
Ionut Zamfir, a Romanian citizen residing in Los Angeles, CA, has been issued an arrest warrant for his alleged involvement in conspiracy to commit access device fraud, bank fraud, and aggravated identity theft. He is the sixth defendant to be charged in this case.
As per the charging documents, the six suspects were involved in placing skimming devices on bank ATMs in Rhode Island and Washington. They obtained sensitive account information from victims’ cards and utilized it to withdraw over $300,000 from bank accounts and purchase various items from different retailers.
According to reports, the individuals accused in the Rhode Island federal court conspiracy case were caught on security camera footage tampering with checkout devices at the specified locations.
According to Michael J. Krol, Special Agent in Charge of Homeland Security Investigations New England, the organization comprised of these six individuals has been accused of defrauding numerous Rhode Island residents and others, causing them to lose their hard-earned money.
According to court documents, a major retailer had skimming devices discovered at 22 different locations across Rhode Island, Massachusetts, Virginia, Maryland, New Jersey, and New York.
The audacious scheme by the defendants to steal the financial account information of innocent customers and use it to gain unauthorized access to their funds and property shocked and appalled U.S. Attorney Cunha.
According to the allegations made in federal court, the scale and scope of the operation were immense. He applauded the efforts of Homeland Security Investigations and local law enforcement partners for their hard work and efficiency in dismantling this criminal network and bringing those responsible to justice in federal court.
