A Romanian national has been sentenced to 10 years in federal prison for orchestrating a large-scale scheme to skim Electronic Benefit Transfer (EBT) cards in California and New York. Catalin-Marius Graur, 43, was sentenced by United States District Judge Mark Scarsi, who also ordered him to pay $165,697 in restitution.
Graur pleaded guilty in October 2024 to one count of conspiracy to commit bank fraud. He entered the United States on a tourist visa in 2020 but remained after his visa expired. Authorities said Graur traveled throughout Los Angeles and the Inland Empire installing advanced skimming devices at ATMs and point-of-sale terminals, capturing account information from users.
Law enforcement arrested Graur in June 2024 at an Airbnb rental apartment in New York City. At the time of his arrest, he possessed over $37,000 in cash and had 1,488 stolen access device numbers.
Investigators determined that Graur collaborated with several members of a transnational criminal organization based in Romania. During a search of an accomplice’s residence, authorities found evidence that Graur had sent more than 36,000 stolen EBT card numbers over three years.
The victims targeted by Graur were recipients of EBT cards—benefits intended to assist low-income households with housing, food, and other essential needs.
The case was investigated by the FBI, the United States Secret Service, the San Bernardino County Sheriff’s Department, the California Department of Social Services, and the Romanian National Police. Assistant United States Attorney Andrew Brown from the Major Frauds Section prosecuted the case.
“Graur is a Romanian citizen who entered the U.S. on a tourist visa in 2020 but overstayed his visa. Graur travelled across Los Angeles and the Inland Empire installing sophisticated skimming devices in ATMs and point-of-sale terminals to record the account information of individuals who used those devices.”
“Graur worked with multiple members of a transnational criminal organization from Romania to carry out this scheme. A search warrant for the residence of one of Graur’s accomplices revealed that Graur had sent him more than 36,000 stolen EBT card numbers over three years.”
“EBT card recipients, whom Graur specifically targeted, receive benefits designed specifically to help low-income households pay for housing, food, and other necessities.”
“The FBI, the United States Secret Service, the San Bernardino County Sheriff’s Department, the California Department of Social Services, and the Romanian National Police investigated this matter.”
“Assistant United States Attorney Andrew Brown of the Major Frauds Section prosecuted this case.”
