Romanian man sentenced for leading scheme that stole benefits from low-income Southern California families
A Romanian man suspected of entering the United States illegally was sentenced to more than six years in prison on Friday for leading a group that used illegal skimmers on ATMs to steal data and benefits from low-income families in Southern California.
According to a release from the United States Attorney’s Office for the Central District of California, 38-year-old Marius Oprea used the illegal devices to “harvest data” and create counterfeit debit cards using the stolen account holder’s information.
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The cloned cards were then used to make cash withdrawals from the accounts of low-income individuals, the DOJ said.
“The individuals whose accounts are looted most frequently are those who depend on government payments to survive,” an FBI agent who worked the case stated.
Under an alias, Oprea had “sophisticated skimming devices” shipped to a short-term residence he was renting, authorities said. He maintained a master list of stolen account information, according to a sentencing memorandum filed by prosecutors, who described the scheme as “unusually professional.”
“The skimming ring focused on Bank of America accounts…[the bank] provides debit cards for California anti-poverty programs, including those providing benefits for unemployed and disabled individuals,” the DOJ’s release stated.
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Oprea, who according to authorities last resided at a short-term rental property in Port Hueneme, pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit bank fraud in June 2023. He was also ordered by United States District Judge Maame Ewusi-Mensah Frimpong to pay $28,974 in restitution.
“Oprea illegally entered our country for one purpose – to take advantage of the weaker ATM security here, which does not require cards containing computer chips,” the sentencing memorandum said. “He pursued fraud like a full-time job, netting thousands of victims’ accounts.”
The case was part of an investigation by the Vulnerable Communities Task Force, which focuses on “prosecuting individuals and entities that prey on communities that typically are less likely to report crimes to law enforcement and historically have had less legal recourse to address the offenders targeting them,” the U.S. Attorney’s Office said.
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