Alexandru Cosmin Licsor, a fugitive linked to an ATM
skimming scheme that defrauded Utah financial institutions and its customers,
has been apprehended. The 37-year old citizen of Romania, who had been on the
run for more than two years, is scheduled to make an initial appearance in Salt
Lake City, Utah, on Friday, November 8, 2019, at 2 p.m.
Upon learning that Licsor was in Romania, Romanian
authorities arrested him on an extradition request. Licsor was returned to the
United States on November 7, 2019.
On October 11, 2017, Licsor was charged in an indictment
with possession or use of an access device, three counts of bank fraud, and
aggravated identity theft. At that time, a warrant was also issued for his
arrest.
The indictment alleges that from January to February 2015,
Licsor and his co-conspirators, who remain unidentified, installed skimming
equipment on at least four different bank ATMs in Utah with the purpose of
recording information from the debit and credit cards customers inserted at
those ATMs. According to the charges, Licsor and his associates were able to
successfully withdraw nearly $190,000 from more than 2,000 cards of unsuspecting
customers.
“Although Licsor managed to elude authorities for a while,
this case demonstrates the FBI’s unwavering pursuit for justice,” said Paul
Haertel, special agent in charge of the FBI’s Salt Lake City Field Office.
“Without the existence of strong partnerships among law enforcement agencies at
home and abroad, Licsor’s arrest and extradition would not have been possible,
and he will now face a judge for his alleged crimes.”
The FBI’s Cyber Task Force, which includes officers with the
Utah Department of Public Safety, investigated this case. The Justice
Department’s Office of International Affairs of the Department’s Criminal
Division provided significant assistance in securing the defendant’s
extradition from Romania.
All individuals charged are presumed innocent until
convicted in a court of law.
Posts
No comments:
Post a Comment