Marius Vintila, a 31-year-old Romanian criminal ringleader, has been sentenced to 10 years in prison after defrauding thousands of bank customers in the United States through an elaborate ATM skimming scheme. The sentencing took place at the US District Court for the District of New Jersey in Newark, where Vintila was ordered to serve 121 months in prison and pay US$7.4 million in restitution.
Vintila, also known by the alias “Dan Girneata,” orchestrated a large-scale operation between September 2011 and July 2013, which targeted customers of New Jersey banks. Working with co-conspirators, Vintila’s group installed skimming devices and hidden pinhole cameras on ATMs. These devices captured sensitive data, including card information and PINs, which were later used to create counterfeit ATM cards. The stolen funds were withdrawn from victims’ accounts through these fraudulent cards.
In February 2015, Vintila pleaded guilty to charges of bank fraud conspiracy and aggravated identity theft. The criminal network was uncovered after several members were arrested in 2013. However, Vintila fled the US for Sweden before being extradited back to New Jersey to face the charges.
The US Attorney’s Office described the scheme as one of the largest ATM skimming operations ever uncovered by law enforcement, involving the theft of millions from unsuspecting customers. To date, 16 individuals have been charged in connection with the scam, with 12 of them pleading guilty.