Thousands of credit card numbers stolen from LA ATM skimmers; 3 year operation leads to arrests

LOS ANGELES - A major operation busted a big ATM scam in Los Angeles, exposing a shocking truth - thousands of people had their credit card numbers stolen. The FBI's Los Angeles Field Office teamed up with Romanian law enforcement for a three-year investigation that targeted a group involved in ATM skimming and money laundering.

The operation led to the arrest of 48 people, the seizure of around $1 million in different currencies, and the confiscation of 11 vehicles linked to the criminals. They were focused on stealing credit card details in the U.S. and moving the money through Western Europe back to Romania.

The suspects were connected to the Riviera Maya Gang, led by Florian Tudor, who is facing fraud charges in Mexico and attempted murder charges in Romania. In California's Central District, multiple individuals face charges like Conspiracy, Bank Fraud, Aggravated Identity Theft, and Visa Fraud.

In Southern California, agents and prosecutors cracked down on ATM skimmers, finding over 8,000 stolen credit card numbers from people in the U.S.