A Romanian national has admitted to his role in a scheme involving credit and debit card skimmers installed in retail locations in Louisiana. Andrei Fagaras, 35, pleaded guilty to counts of access device fraud, according to an announcement on September 3rd by Acting United States Attorney Michael M. Simpson, as reported by the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Eastern District of Louisiana.
Court documents indicate that Fagaras and two others were caught with the skimming devices on November 13 and 14, 2024. They had targeted three separate retail locations within the Eastern District of Louisiana's jurisdiction. Now, Fagaras is looking at a possible fifteen-year maximum prison term and could be fined up to $250,000, on top of supervised release for up to three years following his imprisonment, and a mandatory special assessment fee of $100 per count. The case is part of the larger federal Operation Take Back America, a broad-reaching initiative aimed to repel illegal immigration, eliminate cartels, and curb violent crime, according to the U.S. Attorney's Office.
The multi-agency investigation leading up to Fagaras's plea involved the United States Department of Agriculture – Office of Inspector General; the Jefferson Parish Sheriff’s Office; the St. Bernard Parish Sheriff’s Office; and the New Orleans Police Department. The prosecution of the case is being handled by Assistant United States Attorney Christine M. Calogero of the General Crimes Unit. The work of these agencies was commended by Acting U.S. Attorney Simpson, who expressed gratitude for their collective efforts in bringing the criminal activities to a halt, as obtained by the U.S. Attorney's Office.
