Three arrested, accused of looting EBT accounts by installing skimmers on ATMs
All photos via Sacramento County Sheriff’s Office
Originally published 9-5-22 via Facebook
by the Sacramento County Sheriff’s Office:
“On Friday, September 2, 2022, the Sacramento County Sheriff’s Office/Sacramento Valley Hi Tech Crimes Task Force arrested Sorin Mitrache (36), Marius Panciu (43) and Papas Zacharias (42) on suspicion of installing skimming devices on area bank ATM’s and on conspiracy. All three subjects are residents of Elk Grove in Sacramento County.
The arrest resulted from a collaborative investigation by the Sacramento County Sheriff’s Office and Bank of America Corporate Security. The operation focused on illegal skimming and more specifically, the high volume CASH OUT sequence that occurs at ATM machines near the beginning of each month when EBT accounts are funded by the State of California. During these CASH OUT events, the suspects used doctored magnetic striped cards to withdraw cash from Bank of America EBT customers. The subjects were observed using similar techniques and tactics to fraudulently obtain US currency through no less than four separate banking systems.
Manteca Police Department Officers were alerted of the crime in progress and detained all three suspects in close proximity to the scene of the crime. Sacramento Valley Hi-Tech Crimes Task Force Detectives responded to the scene and arrested all three men. A search warrant was served and additional evidence of the crime was located at various locations and vehicles.
All three suspects are currently being held in the Sacramento County Main Jail on felony counts of Conspiracy to Use Forged Credit Cards. They are being held on $100,000 with an examination of bail required so they can not use ill-gotten gains to finance their release.”
