A former resident of the Fairfax District in Los Angeles has been sentenced to three years in federal prison for his involvement in a scheme that used illegal skimmers on ATMs to steal data. Sorin-Miguel Ghiorghe, 47, was sentenced by United States District Judge John F. Walter. A restitution hearing will be scheduled in the coming months.
Ghiorghe pleaded guilty in October 2024 to several charges, including conspiracy to commit bank fraud, bank fraud, aggravated identity theft, possession of unauthorized access devices, and possession of device-making equipment. Prosecutors allege that Ghiorghe, a Romanian national who may have entered the United States illegally, used counterfeit cards to withdraw thousands of dollars from victims' accounts.
The fraudulent activities targeted funds administered by the California Department of Social Services through Electronic Benefit Transfer (EBT) accounts such as CalFresh and CalWorks benefits. Law enforcement found ATM-skimming equipment and EBT account numbers during a search of Ghiorghe's apartment.
The case was investigated by the United States Secret Service with significant assistance from the Los Angeles Police Department. Assistant United States Attorney Max A. Shapiro prosecuted the case.