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Romanian Scammer Ristea Sentenced 18 Months for Card Skimming Scheme
A Romanian national was sentenced to 18 months in prison for using card skimmers to steal credit and debit card information and defraud banks.
Cristian Romica Ristea, 52, was found guilty of his crimes after law enforcement observed him conduct an illegal transaction at a Bank of America ATM in Chesapeake, Virginia.
According to court documents, Ristea installed and maintained portable card reading devices, known as "skimmers," in ATMs and installed pin hole cameras to obtain PIN numbers. He then used the stolen information to defraud banks across the East Coast of the United States.
On August 17, 2023, law enforcement officers arrested Ristea after observing him conduct an illegal transaction. A search of his vehicle revealed 36 Vanilla Visa cards, skimming tools, a skimming device, and an international driver license in the name of "Christan Weber." Additional skimming tools and devices were found at Ristea’s rented home, along with 91 vanilla gift cards encoded with stolen information.
One financial institution estimated that 289 card numbers were compromised in Ristea’s scheme. Assistant U.S. Attorney Matthew Heck prosecuted the case, and U.S. District Judge Jamar K. Walker handed down the sentence.
U.S. Attorney Jessica D. Aber and Kang Lee, Resident Agent in Charge of the U.S. Secret Service’s Norfolk Resident Office, made the announcement after the sentencing. The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia and the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia have provided related court documents and information on their websites.
Key Facts
- State: Virginia
- Agency: DOJ USAO
- Category: Fraud & Financial Crimes
- Source: Official Source ↗
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