6 foreign nationals in California charged in multi-state ATM skimming scam

LOS ANGELES - Six foreign nationals, all of whom are illegally present in the U.S., have been charged in federal court for their alleged roles in a conspiracy to install "skimming" devices on bank ATMs and at retail store checkout units in at least six states, according to the U.S. Attorney's Office, District of Rhode Island. 

Those suspects are also charged with using credit, debit, and benefit card information stolen from the skimming devices to create new cards that were then used to fraudulently withdraw cash from victims’ bank accounts and/or to make retail purchases, officials added.

(Top L-R): Nicolas Longin Codreanu, Ionut Zamfir, Armondo Ion Codreanu; (Bottom L-R) Robby Vicson Codreanu, Mila Ciuciu, Isabela Ignat Codreanu / U.S. Attorney's Office District of Rhode Island

The suspects and charges against them are identified as follows:

• 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

An arrest warrant has been issued for a sixth defendant, Ionut Zamfir, 37, of Los Angeles, CA, a citizen of Romania. Zamfir is charged with conspiracy to commit access device fraud, conspiracy to commit bank fraud, and aggravated identity theft.

According to charging documents, the 6 suspects placed skimming devices on bank ATMs in Rhode Island and Washington, and used the account information skimmed from victims' cards to withdraw more than $300,000 from bank accounts and to buy items at various retailers. 

It is alleged that security camera images from those locations depict one or more members of the conspiracy charged in federal court in Rhode Island tampering with the checkout devices.

"The complaint alleges these six individuals are members of an organization who defrauded thousands of residents of Rhode Island and beyond of their hard-earned money," said Homeland Security Investigations New England Special Agent in Charge Michael J. Krol. 

Court documents revealed skimming devices have been recovered from a single major retailer at 22 separate locations in Rhode Island, Massachusetts, Virginia, Maryland, New Jersey, and New York.

"The scale, scope, and brazen nature of these defendants’ scheme to steal the financial account information of unsuspecting consumers and use it to help themselves to funds and property, as we have alleged in federal court, is staggering," remarked U.S. Attorney Cunha. "I commend the superb work of Homeland Security Investigations, as well as our local law enforcement partners, for their diligent and effective work to disrupt this ring of thieves, and ensure that those responsible face a reckoning in federal court."