SPRINGFIELD, MA – A sophisticated ATM skimming operation targeting banks across Massachusetts, New York, New Jersey and beyond has landed a Romanian national in federal prison. Bogdan Mocanu, 31, of Queens, N.Y., was sentenced today to 28 months behind bars for his role in the scheme, and will be deported immediately after serving his time.
U.S. District Court Judge Mark G. Mastroianni handed down the sentence, along with an order for Mocanu to pay $342,971 in restitution to the defrauded banks and forfeit another $342,971. Mocanu pleaded guilty back in August of 2016 to conspiracy to commit bank fraud, bank fraud, and aggravated identity theft – charges stemming from a years-long, meticulously planned fraud.
From January 2013 until his arrest in July of 2015, Mocanu and his co-conspirators systematically compromised ATMs by installing undetectable skimming devices and hidden pinhole cameras. These devices captured sensitive customer data – account numbers and, critically, PINs – as unsuspecting individuals conducted routine transactions. The operation wasn’t a smash-and-grab; it was a slow bleed, a calculated effort to harvest financial information.
Once the skimmers and cameras were retrieved, the conspirators used the stolen data to create counterfeit debit cards. These fraudulent cards were then deployed to withdraw cash directly from the victims’ accounts, resulting in substantial financial losses for banks like Bank of America and PNC. The scale of the operation suggests a highly organized network, capable of operating across state lines and evading detection for an extended period.
The investigation was a multi-agency effort, spearheaded by Acting United States Attorney William D. Weinreb, Acting Chief of the Justice Department’s Organized Crime and Gang Section David L. Jaffe, and the U.S. Secret Service’s Boston Field Division, led by Special Agent in Charge Stephen A. Marks. Homeland Security Investigations, along with local police departments in East Longmeadow, Cambridge, and Medford, also contributed significantly. Support from the Middlesex County District Attorney’s Office and U.S. Attorney’s Offices in the Eastern District of New York and the District of New Jersey further solidified the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Steven H. Breslow of Weinreb’s Springfield Branch Office and Trial Attorney Marianne Shelvey of the Criminal Division’s Organized Crime and Gang Section were responsible for prosecuting Mocanu. This case serves as a stark reminder of the ever-present threat of financial fraud and the commitment of federal agencies to bring perpetrators like Mocanu to justice, even if they originate overseas.
Related Federal Cases
- Bogdan Rusu Led $428K ATM Skimming Ring in New Jersey · Massachusetts
- Romanian National Sentenced in Multi-State ATM Card Skimming Scheme · Massachusetts
- Predator Caracciolo Gets 25 Years for Exploitation, Fraud · Massachusetts
- ATM Skimmer Marin Admits $428K Fraud · Massachusetts
- NY Duo Sentenced in $179K Credit Card Scam · Pennsylvania
Key Facts
- State: Massachusetts
- Agency: DOJ USAO
- Category: Fraud & Financial Crimes|Organized Crime
- Source: Official Source ↗
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