Romanian Nationals Charged In ATM Skimming Case

PRESS RELEASE

BOSTON, Mass. - Two Romanian nationals were indicted today for bank fraud and conspiracy to commit bank fraud and access device fraud.

RAZVAN PASCU, a/k/a/ RAZVAN ANGHEL, 30, and IONUT ALEXANDRU MOICEANU, 28, were charged in an indictment with committing bank fraud on April 30, 2011, by attaching a “skimming” device and pinhole camera to an Eastern Bank ATM in Cambridge. The skimming device was designed to capture the magnetic strip information on the back of cards inserted into the ATM, while the pinhole camera captured the corresponding PIN numbers. Both items were recovered by the United States Secret Service.

PASCU and MOICEANU were also charged with conspiring to commit bank fraud and access device fraud. As alleged in the indictment, PASCU and MOICEANU furthered the conspiracy by installing skimming devices and pinhole cameras on selected ATMs in Connecticut and Massachusetts in March and April 2011. The conspirators then allegedly used the account information to create counterfeit ATM cards, which could be used, along with the corresponding PIN numbers, to make unauthorized account withdrawals. The indictment charges that PASCU and MOICEANU were involved in five separate incidents of installing skimming devices and cameras, including the Cambridge incident on April 30.

If convicted on the bank fraud count, the defendants face up to 30 years in prison to be followed by five years of supervised release, and a $1 million fine. If convicted on the conspiracy count, the defendants face up to five years imprisonment to be followed by three years of supervised release and a $250,000 fine.

PASCU was charged via criminal complaint earlier this month, and was arrested on May 2, 2011. He remains in custody. An arrest warrant has been issued for MOICEANU.

U.S. Attorney Carmen M. Ortiz and Steven Ricciardi, Special Agent in Charge of the United States Secret Service, made the announcement today. The case is being investigated by the U.S. Secret Service together with the Connecticut Financial Crimes Task Force and the New England Electronic Crimes Task Force which includes the Cambridge Police Department. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Amy Harman Burkart of Ortiz’s Computer Crimes Unit and James P. Dowden of Ortiz’s Economic Crimes Unit.