FBI, Partners Conduct Thanksgiving Day Operation in Romania Tied to California Organized Crime/ATM-Skimming Network
Clockwise from left, these photos show cameras affixed to ATM machines, a sign that was allegedly used to obscure a skimming device, and the back of a hidden camera apparatus.
On November 23, Romanian law enforcement, in coordination with the FBI’s Los Angeles Field Office, conducted enforcement operations targeting 84 locations in Romania tied to an organized crime group engaged in ATM skimming and money laundering.
These photos from the November 2023 operation shows a workshop that was allegedly use to commit ATM fraud with miscellaneous paraphernalia.
During this operation, Romanian law enforcement arrested 48 subjects, seized approximately $1 million worth of various currencies, and seized 11 vehicles. This is the culmination of a three-year investigation conducted by the FBI and Romanian authorities targeting organized crime figures conducting ATM skimming operations in the United States and the money laundering apparatus used to send the profits of their crimes through western Europe back to Romania.
The photo at left shows equipment that was allegedly used to scan fraudulent cards, and the photo at right shows skimming equipment.
Many of the subjects targeted in this investigation worked directly for, or were associated with, Florian Tudor—the alleged leader of the notorious and violent ATM-skimming organization known as the Riviera Maya Gang, based out of Cancun, Mexico. Tudor is currently awaiting trial in Mexico on fraud charges and is facing charges for attempted murder in Romania.
This photo from the November 2023 operation shows cards that were allegedly used to generate fraudulent cards.
Thus far, multiple individuals associated with this group have been arrested by the FBI and charged in the Central District of California with conspiracy, bank fraud, aggravated identity theft, and visa fraud.
This photo from the November 2023 operation shows cards with fraudulently obtained PIN numbers. This photo from the November 2023 operation shows cards with fraudulently obtained PIN numbers.
Agents and prosecutors have recovered over 8,000 stolen credit card numbers belonging to U.S. victims and seized nearly $1 million in cash and cryptocurrency as a result of their ongoing efforts to disrupt ATM skimmers in southern California.
