West Coast Group Attacks RI Walmart, BJ’s With Card Skimmers. What You Need to Know.

PROVIDENCE — A group of Romanian nationals living on the West Coast are accused of placing skimming devices on local ATMs and self-checkout machines at stores in Rhode Island and Massachusetts in order to steal customers’ credit and debit card information and PINs, then empty their bank accounts, federal authorities said.

According to an arrest warrant affidavit, the widespread operation stole more than $300,000 from local bank accounts through counterfeit cards created using stolen information and PINs.

Where skimmers were found: In Rhode Island, skimmers were found in ATMs in Bristol and Westerly, at self-checkout machines at BJ’s Wholesale Club stores in Warwick, Johnston and Seekonk, and at Walmart stores in Warwick and Coventry.

Authorities said that between May and August 2023, BJ’s Wholesale Club alone found skimming devices in 22 different locations across the country, including Virginia, Maryland, New Jersey, New York and Massachusetts.

“The scale, scope, and brazen nature of these defendants’ scheme to steal financial account information from unsuspecting consumers and use it to obtain funds and assets, as we alleged in federal court, is staggering,” U.S. Attorney Zachary A. Cunha said in a statement.

He commended Homeland Security Investigations and local law enforcement partners for “their diligent and effective work to dismantle this network of thieves and ensure those responsible face federal prosecution.”

Bristol police were the first to alert federal agents

The alleged conspiracy came to light when the Bristol Police Department began investigating the origin of skimming devices found in Bank Newport ATMs and notified the Department of Homeland Security, according to the affidavit.

In December, Westerly police received complaints about numerous accounts being compromised using skimming devices installed on ATMs at two Westerly Community Credit Union branches.

Authorities said surveillance footage and photos taken at banks in Bristol and Westerly show images of people agents say were placed and later removed from skimming devices.

That same month, an elderly couple from Westerly reported multiple $1,000 withdrawals from their bank accounts at the Dunns Corner branch, for a total of $25,000 withdrawn from both accounts, the affidavit said.

According to WCCU, a total of $279,250 from 44 different accounts was stolen from several ATMs in Rhode Island.

Persons charged

The affidavit included surveillance photos that allegedly showed the alleged conspirators walking through retail stores, shielding each other as they installed skimming devices, and withdrawing money from ATMs.

Here is a list of those charged by federal prosecutors:

Armando Ion Codreanu, 23, of Placentia, California, an Irish citizen, is charged with conspiracy to commit access device fraud, conspiracy to commit bank fraud and identity theft.

Isabela Ignat Codreanu, 23, of Anaheim and Placentia, California, a Romanian citizen; Robby Vicson Codreanu, 20, of Placentia, California, a British citizen; and Mila Ciuciu, 20, of Placentia, California, a Romanian citizen, were each charged with conspiracy to commit access device fraud.

Nicolas Longin Codreanu, 21, of Placentia, California, a Romanian and Irish national, is charged with conspiracy to commit access device fraud, conspiracy to commit bank fraud and identity theft and is in the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service. He is expected to be transferred to Rhode Island.

An arrest warrant has been issued for Ionut Zamfir, 37, of Los Angeles, California, a Romanian citizen. Zamfir is charged with conspiracy to commit access device fraud, conspiracy to commit bank fraud, and identity theft.

Anyone authorities say is in the United States illegally is scheduled to appear before a district judge in the United States District Court in Rhode Island.