Related Federal Cases
- Lessie Dickerson III, Home-Improvement Check Scheme, NJ 2023 · South Carolina
- Hugo Hernandez-Velazquez, Sex Trafficking, New York 2024 · South Carolina
- John Doe, Western Union Scam, California 2022 · Kentucky
- Five Indicted for $3.5M Money Laundering Scheme, Charleston SC, 2024 · South Carolina
- Marlene Barkheimer, FDIC Advisory Committee Appointment, Washington… · Kentucky
ATM Skimming Ring Leader Dragush Hornea, Boston MA, 2022
BOSTON – A sophisticated, multi-state ATM skimming operation run by a Romanian national has landed Dragush Nelo Hornea, 26, in federal prison. Hornea was sentenced today to 21 months, followed by a year of supervised release, after pleading guilty to racketeering and counterfeit device charges. He will face deportation after serving his time. U.S. Senior District Court Judge William G. Young also ordered Hornea to pay $90,452 in restitution and a $18,090.54 forfeiture.
The scheme, dubbed the “Hornea Crew” and led by co-conspirators Constantin Denis Hornea and Ludemis Hornea, targeted unsuspecting bank customers across Massachusetts, Connecticut, New York, South Carolina, and Georgia over an 18-month period. The crew installed undetectable skimming devices on ATMs in a wide range of locations, including Amherst, Braintree, and Waltham in Massachusetts, as well as cities in Connecticut, South Carolina, and beyond. The operation systematically harvested debit card numbers and PINs.
Once the data was stolen, the Hornea Crew cloned the cards and drained victim accounts at ATMs throughout the country, racking up losses in the hundreds of thousands of dollars. Specific locations hit within Massachusetts included Bellingham, Billerica, Chicopee, Quincy, Southwick, and Weymouth, in addition to those already named. The crew’s reach extended to Enfield, Connecticut; Columbia, South Carolina; and even Savannah, Georgia, demonstrating the scope of their criminal enterprise. The stolen funds weren’t just numbers on a ledger; they represented real losses for everyday people.
Hornea’s journey to sentencing was lengthy. Indicted in May 2017, he remained at large until his extradition from Germany in April 2021. He ultimately pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to conduct enterprise affairs through a pattern of racketeering activity (RICO conspiracy) and one count of conspiracy to use counterfeit access devices. He’s not alone. A total of 15 defendants connected to the Hornea Crew have now pleaded guilty, receiving sentences ranging from one year and one day to 65 months.
The investigation was a massive collaborative effort. The U.S. Attorney’s Office, led by Rachael S. Rollins, worked alongside the FBI, U.S. Marshals, Massachusetts State Police, and a litany of local and federal agencies including the Secret Service, IRS Criminal Investigations, and Customs and Border Protection. Police departments from multiple states contributed to the case, as did the Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs, which was crucial in securing Hornea’s extradition.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Timothy E. Moran, Chief of Rollins’ Organized Crime and Gang Unit, spearheaded the prosecution. This case serves as a stark reminder of the evolving threat of financial crime and the dedicated work of law enforcement to dismantle these sophisticated criminal networks. The hefty restitution order and forfeiture judgment aim to provide some measure of relief to the victims impacted by the Hornea Crew’s brazen scheme.
Key Facts
- Agency: U.S. Secret Service
- Category: Fraud & Financial Crimes
- Source: Official Press Release
Get the grimiest stories delivered weekly. Subscribe free
Browse More
MORE FEDERAL CRIME NEWS
US NewsUS NewsUS NewsUS News