NEWARK, N.J. – A brazen ATM skimming operation that bled over $428,581 from unsuspecting bank customers across New Jersey has cracked, with Joel Abel Garcia, 35, of the Bronx, New York, admitting guilt in federal court today. Garcia is the third member of a 13-person crew to fall, facing a potential 30-year stretch for his role in the scheme.
The operation, run between March 2015 and July 2016, targeted ATMs at PNC and Bank of America branches. Garcia and his accomplices weren’t after quick cash grabs; they were after data. They installed sophisticated “skimming” devices – hidden card readers and pinhole cameras – to capture account numbers and PINs as customers went about their business. This stolen information was then used to create counterfeit ATM cards, allowing the crew to drain compromised accounts.
Acting U.S. Attorney William E. Fitzpatrick of the District of New Jersey, along with Kenneth A. Blanco of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division and Brian A. Michael of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations, announced Garcia’s guilty plea to one count of conspiracy to commit bank fraud. Court documents reveal Garcia personally accounted for $132,805 of the total loss, a significant chunk of the $428,581 stolen. Victor A. Hanganu, 35, a Romanian citizen residing in Bayside, New York, previously pleaded guilty on April 10, 2017, to the same charge, and Radu Marin, 36, also a Romanian citizen from Glendale, New York, pleaded guilty on March 29, 2017.
The investigation, a joint effort by the U.S. Secret Service’s Boston Field Office, Homeland Security Investigations, and multiple local police departments in Massachusetts, alongside security divisions from Bank of America and PNC, shows the scope of the operation. Law enforcement traced the crew’s fraudulent withdrawals across numerous ATMs, highlighting the challenge of tracking these types of crimes. The Middlesex County, Massachusetts, District Attorney’s Office and U.S. Attorney’s Offices in the Eastern District of New York and the District of Massachusetts also contributed to the probe.
Garcia and Hanganu are scheduled for sentencing on August 2, 2017 and July 31, 2017, respectively. Both face a maximum sentence of 30 years in prison and a $1 million fine. The remaining ten defendants still face charges, and the investigation remains ongoing. Assistant U.S. Attorney Kelly Graves and Trial Attorney Marianne Shelvey are prosecuting the case, signaling a continued federal crackdown on ATM skimming rings.
This case serves as a stark reminder to bank customers: always shield the keypad when entering your PIN, and be wary of any tampering with the ATM itself. Report anything suspicious to bank personnel or local authorities. The Grimy Times will continue to follow this case and report on any further developments.
Related Federal Cases
- Joel Abel Garcia, ATM Skimming Conspiracy, New Jersey 2017 · Massachusetts
- Bogdan Rusu, ATM Skimming, New Jersey 2023 · Massachusetts
- Twelve Individuals Charged with ATM Skimming Conspiracy, New Jersey 2016 · Massachusetts
- Stefan Dumitru, ATM Skimming, New Jersey 2016 · Massachusetts
- Bogdan Viorel Rusu, ATM Skimming, NJ 2023 · Massachusetts
Key Facts
- Agency: U.S. Secret Service
- Category: Fraud & Financial Crimes
- Source: Official Press Release
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