I-TEAM: Group tied to skimming scheme linked with Romanian crime syndicate, warrants say

BATON ROUGE, La. (WAFB) - Investigators have identified four people of interest so far in the widening investigation into a skimming scheme across the greater Baton Rouge area.

The WAFB I-Team obtained police documents that detectives say tie two Texas residents - Ionut Fluerasu of Houston, and Pascu Eduard of Los Fresnos - to the scheme. Warrants have also been filed for two others - Iulian Zlataru and Ana Marie Dote.

According to the warrants, members of the group were allegedly caught on camera removing skimming devices from an ATM at Neighbors Federal Credit Union on Perkins Road back in May.

Two days later, members of the group were allegedly caught on camera at different banks making withdrawals using counterfeit debit cards containing skimmed information, the warrants add.

Detectives allege the group made 30 attempts to withdraw cash using the skimmed information but were only successful with four, which amounted to the theft of $2,257.90, the warrants state.

According to the warrants, around 346 debit card numbers were exposed during the scheme, but only three accounts were accessed.

Officials claim they have linked the four people of interest to transnational Romanian organized crime syndicate the operates in Southern California.

The East Baton Rouge Parish Sheriff’s Office is part of the investigation into the matter. A spokesperson declined to comment citing an ongoing, larger investigation.

Officials did say the incident involving these four men is the same incident previously reported by the WAFB I-Team. Click the link here to read the previous story.

RELATED: I-TEAM: Thieves target bank ATM, steal thousands using skimmers

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