Authorities in California have discovered that the Romanian mafia has adapted an old scam, debit card skimming, by placing devices on self-checkout machines in grocery stores. This new tactic has allowed the crooks to steal personal information more efficiently. The thieves utilize Bluetooth technology connected to the skimmers inside the stores and often have people sitting outside Walmart or Target, posing as panhandlers, to distract shoppers. The stolen information is then used to drain accounts, including those of welfare recipients, resulting in millions of dollars in theft at taxpayers’ expense.
Surveillance video from the El Cajon Police Department shows suspects can attach skimmers to credit card swipes in just seconds, making it difficult for consumers to detect. Authorities have already arrested dozens of suspects, most of whom have ties to organized crime in Romania. While law enforcement has made significant busts, including arrests in the U.S., Europe, and Mexico, the thefts continue to increase as criminals double down on their efforts. The thieves have been estimated to be making up to $9 million a month through these fraudulent activities, severely impacting those in need of financial assistance and leading authorities to crack down on the crimes.
Uncorroborated foreigners have been participating in “burglary tourism” in Southern California, targeting luxury homes and exploiting lax bail policies to evade justice if arrested. Thousands of criminals, mainly tied to organized Romanian crime, are believed to be in the U.S., with some entering illegally through the southern border and others as asylum seekers. These individuals are part of an organized network that has been operating in various California counties, including Orange, Riverside, Los Angeles, and Santa Barbara, contributing to about 15% of the Romanian mob’s activity within the United States. Authorities have identified a significant number of mobsters engaging in illegal activities, including the trafficking of food stamps for baby formula and energy drinks in alliance with local cartels.
Law enforcement efforts have led to the arrest of individuals involved in the scam, such as the arrest of Florin Duduianu, who was caught making multiple withdrawals using reprogrammed Visa gift cards cloned from victims’ debit cards. Duduianu is facing a 30-year prison sentence for his involvement in the scheme. Additionally, the FBI has partnered with Romanian police to conduct raids in the European country connected to the California skimming thefts, resulting in numerous arrests and the recovery of over $1 million and luxury vehicles. Many of the suspects arrested in Romania have connections to the Mexico-based Riviera Maya gang, which has been implicated in skimming thefts targeting tourist destinations popular among Americans, such as Tulum and Cancun.
The Romanian mafia involved in the debit card skimming scheme has been using stolen funds to finance luxurious lifestyles and European sports cars, as well as trading in food stamps for baby formula and energy drinks in conjunction with local cartels for resale in Mexico. Some suspects have been known to flaunt their illegally acquired wealth on social media platforms, such as TikTok. Among those implicated in the criminal activities is Florin Tudor, the leader of the Riviera Maya gang, who is currently facing fraud charges in Mexico and is wanted for attempted murder in Romania. The joint efforts of law enforcement in the U.S., Europe, and Mexico have led to significant arrests and the recovery of stolen funds, but the ongoing scam highlights the ongoing challenges posed by organized crime networks utilizing sophisticated tactics to exploit vulnerable individuals and systems.