Authorities have dismantled an elaborate ATM skimming operation in North Texas, linking two suspects to organized crime activities. According to police reports, a search conducted at a leased apartment in Irving revealed numerous credit cards that had been tampered with using stolen data.
State law enforcement officials announced the disruption of a credit card skimming ring that could have potentially defrauded North Texans of over $5 million. Two individuals have been charged with installing skimming devices on ATMs throughout the Dallas-Fort Worth area.
Documents obtained by NBC 5 indicate that one of the apprehended suspects was already wanted in California, with a bond set at $200,000, and had been identified as a potential national security risk.
The Texas Financial Crimes Intelligence Center reported that Petruta Ciuperca and Alexandru Constantin, both Romanian nationals, were responsible for the ATM skimming operation in North Texas. Investigators captured footage of the suspects engaging in the placement of skimming devices at various convenience stores in the region to illegally collect credit card information.
Alex del Carmen, a criminal justice expert, explained the operation, stating, “They continuously record your credit card details, eventually transmitting this information to their accomplices who then use it to fabricate counterfeit credit cards.”
In arrest warrants reviewed by NBC 5, authorities noted that “criminal ATM skimming suspects are part of highly organized criminal enterprises… they frequently relocate and do not remain in one location for extended periods… recent trends show these groups often utilize Airbnb accommodations and rental vehicles.”
The arrest affidavit detailed that investigators discovered Ciuperca was also wanted for fraud charges in Los Angeles and had been marked as a possible national security concern.
Law enforcement tracked the suspects to a rental property located on West Pioneer Drive in Irving. Upon executing a search warrant at this residence, officers uncovered what they described as “a fully operational credit card skimmer factory,” which included hundreds of modified credit cards containing stolen data, over $16,000 in cash, and equipment necessary for constructing ATM skimmers.
Ciuperca is currently held on a bond of $120,000, while Constantin faces a bond of $76,000.
Del Carmen commended the law enforcement efforts involved, stating, “This represents excellent police work; considerable effort and intelligence must have gone into this operation.”
Additionally, investigators have identified a third individual associated with the skimming ring but have yet to disclose their identity.
