Romanians Nabbed in $183K Bank Heist Scheme

BUFFALO, N.Y. — A Romanian national installed high-tech skimming devices on ATMs across Western New York, Pennsylvania, and New Jersey, stealing $183,120.54 from Bank of America customers in a cold, calculated fraud operation. Nicolae Sarbu, of Romania, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit bank fraud and aggravated identity theft, admitting he recorded victims’ card data and PINs using hidden cameras and card readers.

Sarbu didn’t work alone. Marinela Unguru-Ducila, also of Romania, stood by as he rigged ATMs in North Tonawanda and West Seneca, doing nothing to stop the crime. Instead, she pleaded guilty to misprision of a felony — a charge reserved for those who know about a crime and fail to report it. Her silence helped the scheme stay alive.

Between August and November 2015, the pair and their accomplices hit 10 ATMs. Skimmers captured account details while tiny cameras recorded PINs. Sarbu then encoded stolen data onto blank cards and gift cards, turning them into cash-dispensing weapons. Withdrawals were made across the Western District of New York, New Jersey, and Pennsylvania — hitting real people hard.

Each scam withdrawal chipped away at victims’ trust and finances. The total hit to Bank of America: $183,120.54. Customers woke up to drained accounts, frozen cards, and the gnawing fear of identity theft — all because thieves like Sarbu exploited the everyday act of pulling cash from an ATM.

The case was cracked by Homeland Security Investigations, led by Acting Special Agent-in-Charge Kevin Kelly. Assistant U.S. Attorney Marie P. Grisanti prosecuted, laying out a trail of digital theft and willful blindness. Sarbu now faces up to 20 years in prison, plus a mandatory two-year sentence for identity theft, to be served consecutively. Unguru-Ducila faces up to three years behind bars.

Sentencing is set for May 17, 2017. Sarbu appears at 1:00 p.m., Unguru-Ducila at 1:30 p.m., both before U.S. District Judge Richard J. Arcara. Their actions weren’t just crimes — they were betrayals of the system that keeps ordinary people’s money safe. Now, they answer for it.