California and Romania Arrests in EBT Theft Scheme

Andrei Bogdan Arteni has been charged with using unauthorized access devices and conspiracy to commit fraud, facing up to 10 years in prison and significant fines. He is accused of being part of a group that employed skimming devices to illegally withdraw funds from the accounts of low-income Californians, particularly targeting disadvantaged communities from October 2023 to March 2024. The scheme involved placing skimming devices on point-of-sale terminals in grocery stores and encoding stolen data onto cloned bank cards. The fraudulent activities resulted in substantial financial losses for victims across Southern California, including areas like San Diego, Los Angeles, and Riverside. The stolen funds were meant to assist low-income families with essential needs such as food and housing. Authorities have highlighted the severe impact of EBT fraud on vulnerable community members, emphasizing the need for stringent enforcement of laws protecting electronic payment systems. Arteni was arrested in Santa Ana on September 5, 2024, following a thorough investigation that included surveillance footage from ATMs where fraudulent withdrawals occurred. Law enforcement agencies seized skimming devices, jewelry, and over $550,000 in cash from storage units linked to the suspects. Some of the cash was reportedly intended for shipment to Romania, indicating a broader international dimension to the fraud. The case underscores the collaboration between U.S. and Romanian authorities in tackling transnational fraud. Investigators are committed to dismantling such criminal networks that exploit government programs and banking institutions, ensuring justice for the victims affected by these crimes.