Four foreign nationals convicted in multi-state card skimming scheme, $280,000 stolen in Rhode Island

PROVIDENCE, R.I. (WLNE) — Four illegally present foreign nationals have pleaded guilty in Rhode Island federal court for their roles in a multi-state retail and ATM skimming conspiracy.

According to the office of Acting U.S. Attorney Sara Miron Bloom, the defendants made hundreds of thousands of dollars in authorized bank withdrawals and retail purchases in this scheme.

They also compromised over 15,000 credit, debit and EBT cards in the conspiracy.

Robby Vicson Codreanu, 21, of the United Kingdom, Isabela Ignat Codreanu, 24, of Romania, and Armando Ion Codreanu, 24, and Nicolas Longin Codreanu, 23, of Ireland, pleaded guilty to a bevy of charges. 

These include conspiracy to commit access device fraud producing, using and trafficking in counterfeit access devices and accessing 15 or more counterfeit and unauthorized access devices. 

According to Bloom’s office, over 200 debit cards were compromised at two Rhode Island financial institutions.

This unauthorized access resulted in more than $280,000 of ATM withdrawals from 67 customer accounts.

According to ICE, skimming devices were placed at ATMs in Bristol, Warren, Johnston and Westerly.

Devices were also placed at retail locations in Johnston, Warwick and Coventry.

Raynham, Seekonk and North Attleboro retail locations were also found to have skimming devices placed by the defendants.

The conspiracy ran from May of 2023 through February of 2024 and spanned several other states including New Jersey and New York.

Nicolas Codreanu will be sentenced October 14, and the remaining three defendants will be sentenced on October 21.

Two other defendants from Romania, Ionut Zamfir, 38, and Mila Ciuciu, 21, are still awaiting trial in this case.