Foreign nationals charged with ‘brazen’ retail skimming conspiracy in Mass., RI stores, DOJ says

Authorities say four of six foreign nationals who allegedly took part in an elaborate multi-state credit card skimming conspiracy were charged in federal court on Tuesday.

Armando Ion Codreanu, 23, of Placentia, California, a citizen of Ireland, is scheduled to make his initial appearance on charges of conspiracy to commit access device fraud, conspiracy to commit bank fraud, and aggravated identity theft.

Isabela Ignat Codreanu, 23, of Anaheim and Placentia, California, a citizen of Romania, Robby Vicson Codreanu, 20, Placentia, California, a citizen of Great Britain, and Mila Ciuciu, 20, of Placentia, California, a citizen of Romania, are all charged with conspiracy to commit access device fraud.

Charging documents say these suspects put skimming devices at retail store checkout terminals in Avon, Raynham, Seekonk, and Walpole, Massachusetts, in addition to retail stores in Johnston, Warwick, and Coventry, Rhode Island. Skimming devices were also allegedly placed at ATMs at banks in Bristol and Westerly, Rhode Island.

The suspects allegedly withdrew more than $300,000 from unsuspecting victims. The conspiracy was first uncovered by the Bristol Police Department in October 2023.

The skimming devices were recovered from a single major retailer at 22 separate locations in Rhode Island, Massachusetts, Virginia, Maryland, New Jersey, and New York, according to charging documents.

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Foreign nationals charged with ‘brazen’ retail skimming conspiracy in Mass., RI stores, DOJ says (U.S. Department of Justice)

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

A fifth suspect, Nicolas Longin Codreanu, 21, of Placentia, California, a citizen of Romania and Ireland, is also charged with conspiracy to commit access device fraud, conspiracy to commit bank fraud, and aggravated identity theft. He is in the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service and is being transported to Rhode Island.

Authorities have also issued an arrest warrant for a sixth suspect, Ionut Zamfir, 37, of Los Angeles, California, a citizen of Romania. Zamfir is facing charges of conspiracy to commit access device fraud, conspiracy to commit bank fraud, and aggravated identity theft.

The alleged conspiracy was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations and the Bristol Police Department, with the assistance of the Warwick Police Department, Coventry Police Department, Westerly Police Department, Johnston Police Department, Seekonk Police Department, United States Secret Service, and Homeland Security Investigations agents in Lafayette, LA, New York, NY, and Los Angeles, CA.

This is a developing story. Check back for updates as more information becomes available.

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