FBI Los Angeles uses twitter yesterday, seeking information on Silviu-Florin Spiridon and four codefendants. The group is wanted for their alleged involvement in defrauding federal benefits recipients by installing skimming devices onto point-of-sale terminals to access Electronic Benefit Transfer (EBT) funds. Spiridon and his accomplices targeted over 300 EBT recipients, unlawfully obtaining more than $220,000 from their accounts.
Silviu-Florin Spiridon & 4 codefendants are being sought for their alleged roles in a scheme to defraud federal benefits recipients by installing skimming devices on points of sale terminals to access EBT funds #FugitiveFriday https://t.co/IY4aK1R7t5
— FBI Los Angeles (@FBILosAngeles) November 17, 2023
The group used small, concealed skimming devices swiftly to record or transmit card data at points of sale across California, breaching the federal benefits system's security. They often placed these devices within standalone terminals, like gas station pumps or ATMs. According to the FBI, "A very small camera was also attached to point of sale terminals to record customers entering their PIN numbers on the PIN pad," as per the article on FBI Official Website.
