LOS ANGELES – A brazen scheme to steal from the poorest Californians ended with a three-year federal prison sentence for Sorin-Miguel Ghiorghe, 47, a former resident of the Fairfax District. Ghiorghe was sentenced today after admitting to a complex operation involving ATM skimmers, counterfeit debit cards, and the theft of public assistance benefits.
Ghiorghe and his accomplices targeted Electronic Benefit Transfer (EBT) accounts – the electronic cards used to distribute CalFresh (food stamps) and CalWorks (welfare) benefits – to low-income residents of California. The crew deployed illegal skimming devices on ATMs to capture account data, then used that information to create counterfeit debit cards. These cards were then used to drain funds from victims’ accounts, leaving families struggling to afford basic necessities.
United States District Judge John F. Walter handed down the 36-month sentence, and scheduled a future restitution hearing to determine how much money Ghiorghe will be required to pay back to the victims. Ghiorghe pleaded guilty in October 2024 to a litany of charges, including one count of conspiracy to commit bank fraud, three counts of bank fraud, one count of aggravated identity theft, one count of possession of 15 or more unauthorized access devices, and one count of possession of device-making equipment.
Prosecutors believe Ghiorghe, a Romanian national, entered the United States illegally. He specifically admitted to using the counterfeit cards to withdraw thousands of dollars from the accounts of unsuspecting benefit recipients. A search of Ghiorghe’s Fairfax District apartment turned up ATM-skimming equipment and a cache of stolen EBT account numbers, solidifying the case against him.
The investigation, led by the U.S. Secret Service with crucial support from the Los Angeles Police Department, exposed a calculated effort to exploit a vital safety net for vulnerable Californians. Assistant United States Attorney Max A. Shapiro of the General Crimes Section prosecuted the case, successfully securing the conviction and lengthy prison sentence.
This case highlights the growing threat of sophisticated financial fraud targeting public assistance programs. While Ghiorghe is behind bars, authorities warn that similar skimming operations remain a constant danger, and urge ATM users to be vigilant and report any suspicious activity to law enforcement. The Secret Service continues to investigate potential accomplices and related schemes.
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Key Facts
- Agency: U.S. Secret Service
- Category: Fraud & Financial Crimes
- Source: Official Press Release
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