Marinica Mirel Cotoi, Bank Fraud, Louisiana 2024

Bank Fraud Rocks Louisiana: Romanian National Sentenced to 8 Months Incarceration

A 37-year-old Romanian national, MARINICA MIREL COTOI, has been sentenced to 8 months of incarceration and two years of supervised release for bank fraud, following his guilty plea in a Louisiana court.

According to court documents, COTOI was involved in the unauthorized collection of debit card numbers through the installation of skimming devices on various ATM machines and the subsequent illegal use of fake debit cards.

The U.S. Secret Service and the Louisiana Financial Crimes Task Force began investigating the case in January 2015, after discovering the unauthorized collection of debit card numbers. In March of this year, COTOI and another man rented a hotel room in Covington, where COTOI was later captured on surveillance video using fake debit cards to withdraw funds from three local bank accounts.

COTOI later admitted that he illegally entered the United States. The U.S. Attorney’s Office praised the work of the U.S. Secret Service and the Louisiana Financial Crimes Task Force, with the assistance of the St. Tammany Parish Sheriff’s Office, in investigating the matter.

Assistant United States Attorneys Edward Rivera and Carter Guice were in charge of the prosecution. COTOI was ordered to pay restitution to the victim banks and is subject to deportation following completion of his incarceration.

The sentencing of MARINICA MIREL COTOI sends a strong message that bank fraud will not be tolerated in Louisiana. The U.S. Attorney’s Office will continue to work tirelessly to protect the financial security of our citizens.

Mandatory Facts: Defendant: MARINICA MIREL COTOI, Crime: One count of bank fraud, City and State: Louisiana, Exact Date: March 2024, Sentence or Outcome: 8 months of incarceration and two years of supervised release, Dollar Amounts: None.

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