Evergreen Reporter

A Romanian national has admitted guilt in a case involving identity theft and bank fraud, as announced by the authorities in Los Angeles. Sorin-Miguel Ghiorghe, 46, residing in the Fairfax district of Los Angeles, pleaded guilty to multiple charges including conspiracy to commit bank fraud, bank fraud itself, aggravated identity theft, possession of unauthorized access devices, and possession of device-making equipment.

Ghiorghe was involved in a scheme that used illegal skimmers on ATMs to gather data from unsuspecting victims. This information was then utilized to create counterfeit debit cards which were used for cash withdrawals from the victims' accounts. Prosecutors allege that Ghiorghe entered the United States illegally and participated actively in withdrawing substantial amounts using these counterfeit cards.

The indictment reveals that this criminal operation targeted funds managed by the California Department of Social Services meant for low-income residents via Electronic Benefit Transfer (EBT) accounts such as CalFresh and CalWorks benefits. A search conducted at Ghiorghe's residence uncovered ATM-skimming tools along with EBT account details belonging to others.

United States District Judge John F. Walter has set a sentencing hearing for January 6, 2025. Ghiorghe could face up to 30 years in federal prison for each count of bank fraud, an additional 10 years for unauthorized access devices and device-making equipment charges, plus a mandatory two-year sentence related to aggravated identity theft.

The investigation was led by the United States Secret Service with crucial support from the Los Angeles Police Department. The prosecution is being handled by Assistant United States Attorney Max A. Shapiro from the General Crimes Section.