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Sunday, January 21, 2024

Romanian Gang in California Skimmed EBT Cards to Trade Baby Formula with Mexican Cartels

"Socalj" for Borderland Beat


Orange County, California authorities arrested 48 alleged members of a Romanian crime ring who allegedly stole hundreds of thousands of dollars from low-income Californians by skimming their state benefit cards.

The suspects are accused of installing skimming devices in stores and using them to swipe the information off of EBT (electronic benefit transfer) cards, which low-income families use to buy food and baby formula.

Once they have the information, they bleed the cards dry, buying baby formula which they then bring down to Mexico - where formula is in short supply - and engage in trade with drug cartels.


The victims may not realize they have lost all their benefits until they are at the checkout, trying to buy groceries for their families.

"These are not victimless crimes," said Orange County District Attorney Todd Spitzer. "The victims are single mothers struggling to put a roof over their children's heads and food on the table and hardworking people who need a helping hand who find themselves standing at the checkout line with bags full of groceries only to be humiliated when they find that they have no money in their account because a thief has surreptitiously taken everything."



One such victim is Marina Sorensen, who said her EBT card was hacked last fall and she was forced to go nearly two months without any assistance.

“I didn’t know what to do, I went hungry for two months,” she said.

The state of California lost some $108 million in CalWORKS benefits last year from such skimming operations. The suspects are from Romania and many of them entered the country illegally, Spitzer said.

Skimming Scam

Members of the group would install card skimming devices at checkout stands, ATMs, and gas pumps across the area to steal EBT card information meant to provide help to low-income Californians.



The suspects would then use the illegally obtained cash to fund their lavish lifestyles, including the purchase of luxury cars, according to the D.A.’s Office.


One man in Cypress who was arrested by Orange County investigators was found to have $30,000 in cash and 60 cloned EBT cards with stolen card numbers and PINs. A suspect in Brea had $27,000 cash and 42 cloned cards.


During a search in Seal Beach, investigators uncovered more than 200 cloned cards and $14,000 stuffed in a suspect’s glove box. That suspect made repeated trips to a convenience store ATM to make illegal withdrawals, officials said.

Florin Duduianu

Duduianu Clan

Among those arrested. in August 2023, was Florin Duduianu, 39, one of Romania's most wanted criminals, and described as the leader of the group, according to officials. In Romania, he is accused of blackmail, robbery, and qualified robbery, in a case where the victims were singers including Florin Salam. He had been on the run since 2020, first to the UK, then moving to Mexico and eventually Los Angeles.


He also had met with the police chief to arrange Emi Pian's funeral. Florin, also known as Anaser Duduianu, became the leader of the Duduianu clan after the stabbing death of Emi Pian following an altercation at a gambling den.

Duduianu has since been indicted by a federal grand jury for fraudulently accessing government assistance funds.


Some of the suspects were seen in social media posts flaunting luxury cars and Rolex watches, and even bragging in Romanian: "Don't love what isn't yours, you can make it yours."

Spitzer along with law enforcement officials are now calling on Gov. Gavin Newsom to implement chip technology for EBT cards, similar to when California issued the Middle Class Tax Refund via chipped debit cards in October 2022.

Authorities said the chip technology would make it more difficult for thieves to clone the EBT cards and illicitly withdraw funds.

Sources ABC7, ABC7, Mediaflux, KTLA

73 comments:

  1. Half of the people on EBT in the USA are scamming the government and taxpayers like myself.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. yeah its conplete bullshit. dude i work has a fulltime job..a part time and drives a brand new jeep. has an ebt card. I got apporved for one out of rehab and then they made me pay it all back.

      Delete
    2. That’s okay, we pay taxes. We can scam the government

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    3. They don't make u pay it back unless they catch u doing shady business 👉👉👉 like pulling licks stop lying

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    4. More like 85-90% ... Then they thought they were slick using cards so people just go buy their connects groceries and trade em for dope or cash or even just let the connect take the card

      Delete
    5. 2:36
      In California there are stringent procedures to issue EBT(Electronic Benefits Transaction) card. You have to be in line with all paperwork. Unfortunately illegal immigrants without paperwork, no benefits, but if a Child was born in USA, from immigrant parents the Child gets benefits.

      Delete
    6. I work and pay taxes and dont qualify for shit from the government.

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    7. Some people definitely do need it though. I can remember when I was young my family was bad off. My dad was always working out-of-state. Barely having enough money to pay the bills. If it wasn't for the food stamps we wouldn't have made it. With the way the economy is right now and the housing crisis I wouldn't doubt that a lot of people actually need it legitimately.

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    8. 943 keep voting democrat so your taxes go up more and your $$$ goes to non-Americans. Keep busting your ass to pay for others.

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    9. 8:19 still believe in trickle down economics huh?

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    10. You're an idiot! When Trump was in office I got an extra $1500 for my son for earned income credit! There's nothing trickle down about that. But let's go ahead and keep the treasonous Bidens in office you mook!

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    11. I work my ass off and pay taxes I don't get shit not even a refund I always seem to owe a little or break even so it doesn't matter who's the president I didnt even get the COVID checks cause all worked all through that shit so f trump he didn't do nothing for me no president has democracy or republican lol fe of a hard working top tier union tradesmen if it were up to the Republicans unions would be outlawed so they would have to pay nothing to have shit built and keep all the money to them selves that's facts

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  2. Those guys are gypsies leaving in Bucharest. Anaser in not the clan leader. Emi Pian has a few brothers who are ruling now the clan, for ex Ciprian Pian and Gratian Pian. Anaser Duduianu is their cousin. They are a big family of brothers, cousins etc. All they do is pimping, card fraud, drug sales, loan sharking, stealing etc. It's crazy that they entered on the American market with their BS. A few months ago the Romanian authorities arrested other leaders from a different clan, the Caran clan, also gypsies leaving in Bucharest, they were doing the same shit in the US, credit card fraud. They made tens of millions of dollars from it. In Romania there are a few gipsy clans, all doing the same shit. Till now they did it in Europe and I noticed that they moved to US recently. They all have FB and Instagram pages bragging with their money and fortune.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. @4:08 call them as you want, for me they are gypsies. I'm Romanian and we had problems as a nation because other nations call them romas. They thought the Romanians are all romas, because of the name. Romania's name comes from the Roman Empire and we have nothing to do with gypsies which come from Iran/India part of Asia. The vast majority of gypsies do that shit, they barely go to school, they beg etc. They are experts in that shit, they learn from their parents since they are little. I mean, some of them barely know how to read and they're doing millions of dollars from illegalities. You can check on google some of the names I posted.

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    2. 🤣What are the odds an article about Romania,🤔 and out of the Blue a Romanian in the house.
      Are you the same guy that lives one block from Obrador Palace???

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    3. @9:00 I follow BB for 10 years, my boy. For your knowledge, Romania has a population of 19 million and I'm sure that I'm not the only one in Romania that follows BB. To answer your question, no I don't live one block from from Obrador's palace, I live in your mom's house, making myself useful when she needs it, if you know what I mean.

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    4. @9:00PM I don’t know … I think that guys is legitimately Romanian . When I read his comment , his grammar was typed exactly like someone who is Romanian( or Russian ) would talk . The errors in his grammar , would make me lean towards him not being the “Obrador Palace Guy” . Just my 2 cents 🤷‍♂️
      ( In no means, am I making fun of his grammar . I am simply stating that I think he is indeed telling the truth about his original comment. I do not speak 2 languages fluently , so I have no right , to be making fun of anyone who might not speak or write correctly . I admire anyone who attempts to learn a new language, even though they get ridiculed by others. I myself, am self conscious when it comes to trying to speak a language I am not fluent in. So congrats to all those who do 🙏)

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    5. @2:08 Dude, what are you talking about? LMAO He was not making fun of my grammar, he was having doubts that I'm Romanian. And ya, I'm 100% Romanian

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    6. Mr. Romanian, I wrote "Roma people" , they're originally from India though. No worries, I get your point.

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    7. @2:29PM I never said he was . I just was stating that I wasn’t . I believe you’re 100% Romanian . Apologies for any confusion 🙏

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    8. @10:09 All good. brother. The Romanian :D

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    9. The Romanian stop scamming people.
      Stop with credit card skimmers. Get a real job.

      Delete
  3. lol talk about top fucking tier scumbags

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    Replies
    1. They look like they have an extra chromosome .

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  4. Real dumbasses too for flaunting all their shit so openly.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. In Romania there's no IRS, no one will ask you how you did your fortune. You can have millions of dollars without a single penny paid in taxes for that fortune and you're good, you can keep those money

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    2. Oh I’m sure… I wouldn’t doubt it if credit card and atm skimming was part of their GDP lmao

      Delete
  5. I don't think I'm racist pero I.don't like Gypsies or Puertoriquenos. They are too loud como los cubanos.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. It ain't racist bro....it's natural to protect yourself against people who are parasites

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    2. Ugh, right. And them Boriquas don’t even have to come here illegally. Like 🤬 . Ole Dry Back Mofos

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    3. El MZ does not approve of this message.

      Delete
    4. 4:04
      Rubio is Puerto Rican, he comes in here calling people the N word in here.

      Delete
    5. @8:52 PM I heard some Puerto Ricans call me a "moyeto." That's the Puerto Rican usage for n-word. That and "moyo." I confronted them about it. They hemmed and hawed and looked embarrassed. I just walked away.

      Delete
    6. I'm mexican it would Rather hang out with puerto rican's dominicans and cubans over other Mexicans anyday. Nobody hates on another mexican or will steal from him quicker than another mexican. Don't get me started with how insecure A lot of mexican dudes be around their females.

      Delete
    7. 852 Don Rubio is Dominicano, not Boricua. I hope he has panties from hotties and not from big ol busted grenades who wear granny panties.

      Delete
  6. doing the jobs Aemericans won't do.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. If they would work, we would call them mexicans.

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    2. 5:29
      They would not take jobs of picking Oranges, Strawberries, Lettuce, tomatoes, you should be greatfull , that
      Hispanics will do that jobs, that no other race wants to do.

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    3. This is untrue. Other races do this work, have done this work before there were legions of Hispanics lined up for that work. The problem is the employers exploit the labor by paying them as little as possible. When the wages were fair, there was no shortage of people willing to work those jobs. They exploit these desperate demographics for maximum profit and also to keep up with their competitors. You want to know who to ultimately blame? The Men who own the banks. The banking oligarchy. They rob us all.

      Delete
  7. When the gypsies come to town, you have to lock up all the women and horses, this is common knowledge..
    They are the Roma people, it's rude or disrespectful or unwoke to call them gipsies these days, but historically, they've been good scammers, it's been said some of them can literally smell money..
    They've gotten a bad rap throughout history, possibly not undeserved, but there's good and bad in all of god's children, doncha find?
    🦎

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Them gypsies straight hustlers, it got so annoying back in the day when some that lived around me, always wanting to sell me some random crap.

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    2. Lmao one time I was shocked to see one out in the Bay Area of CA.. she was trying to scam me about her family needing groceries.

      I said “get a SNAP card, Gypsy” in which she started to yell at me all the way into the store..

      “I NO GYPSY, YOU GYPSY!!”

      Delete
    3. It's not disrespectful or unwoke to call them Roma. Chill out.

      Delete
    4. Hungaras/os is what they called them in Mex. My mom says they did just that. Lock up animals and announce on a old speaker thing that The Hungaros are coming. And they did travel in wagons back then.

      Delete
    5. 11:30
      Hungaras can that be those that come from Hungry?
      Or you mean...The Hielgerias a two sisters, that sang in Michoacan in the 1950s , they sang banda .

      Delete
    6. 2:53
      Las Jilguerillas have nothing to do with this. By the way, saw them in the mid 90s when they opened up for the Tucanes back in California, Pico Rivera sports arena.

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    7. 2:53 Are you from México?

      Delete
  8. I have seen those Romanians at my local Ralph's Supermarket, the lady 30-35 years , cradling a baby, asking people for money.
    Then a few hours later she gets a ride in a Mercedes.
    They're doing all sorts of crimes.
    They are also nicknamed Gypsies.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. What city you at? Same in so cal, claremont to be exact. Freaking scum bags.

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    2. You'll find them in Motels. Being loud and their kids running around. .They all migrate together.

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    3. 4:58
      Irvine, California.
      They don't look Hispanic, more of a European look. I don't know what their native language is, I wonder if they even speak English.

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    4. 458 you have gypsys in Claremont? N word please, Claremont is supposed to be fancy because of the colleges and old money there. If you have Gypseys then Cali really is falling apart.

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    5. 8:50
      Those are not Romanians. They're gypsies/roma which some people here on BB are confusing with people from Romania.

      Delete
    6. 4:19
      Well you could not mention the Country they come from, perhaps you mean Roma as Rome?
      But that still doesn't sound correct.
      Common can you be more specific.

      Delete
    7. 4:30
      The gypsies/Roma people originate from India. They have nothing to do with Romania or ancient Rome.

      Delete
  9. Gypsies are known for flim flam work

    ReplyDelete
  10. More needs to be done to stop fraud on good social programs. Many people do need those programs and this makes it harder for people to get. Stop the steal.

    ReplyDelete
  11. I don’t get it. How do they install something to steal information on the stores ?

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. 10:44
      Criminal Enterprise.
      Credit card skimmers.
      Google it, Google is your best friend.

      Delete
  12. I hate gypsies. They are the scourge of Europe, in every town and city begging and stealing. Didn't realise you had them over there as well. Good luck because once they are in you can't get them out. They live like animals as well and you will notice the babies with them are always alseep she. They are begging because they drug them to keep them docile for the day. They drug their own children. scum. The whole of Europe hates them

    ReplyDelete
  13. A good series re Gypsies is Suburra Blood on Rome on Netflix. Not as good as Gomorrah but then again what is.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Suburra is a movie then came the serie to hahhahaga

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    2. Peter Maas, who wrote Serpico and The Valachi Papers, among other titles, penned 'The King of The Gypsies", informative and a good read..
      🦎

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  14. Romania - an European country, inhabited mostly by Romanian people, Orthodox Christians mostly, some ethnic Hungarians, Serbians and Bulgarians.
    Roma people aren't the same, they are genetically from Indian Subcontinent, and their Cryptonite is an honest days work.
    Mostly scum.
    Sounds bad, but only to good natured, gullible first world folks whom have never had any dealing with them.
    Parasites, if parasites were human, at least 70% of them.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. jews and gypises are the scourge of the earth

      Delete
    2. Borat was right...lol

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  15. I see them "playing" a violin outside of my local kroger sometimes. They get their kids to stand in parking lots and pretend to play a Youtube video on a speaker consisting of a contemporary song played on violin. Fucked up they use their children to scam people. Also, they like to prey on people at the gas pump by trying to offload fake gold jewelry with the premise of not having time to go to the pawn shop. Slicksters, the lot of them.

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  16. When I go to a store in a mini mall, these guys hang around with a chisel, a hammer that looks to be 100 years old, along with a worn out mallet, and scope around your car, looking for dents, bent fender and say, they can fix the dents on the spot, I know they are not Hispanic, nor White, nor Black could they too be Gypsies???

    ReplyDelete
  17. Show me good ones, any age, any gender.

    ReplyDelete
  18. That’s why I cover my hand when entering my pin and also I give the face of the A.T.M a tug to see if it comes off.(the skimmers are fitted over the top with pinhole camera to watch your PIN number).

    ReplyDelete
  19. DEMOCRATS are WEAKLINGS

    ReplyDelete
  20. These Romanian shits are all over California stealing from people. If you pay attention to news you will see stories & videos showing these bastards stealing safes and jewelry from small business owners. They need to be XTERMINATED. parasitic Romanian shits

    ReplyDelete

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