Three Romanian nationals have been arrested in San Antonio after investigators say they helped run a credit card and EBT skimming operation stretching across West Texas. Authorities believe the men are connected to a larger transnational organized crime group that targeted everyday shoppers at retail payment terminals.
According to a Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation release, the investigation began in June after retailers reported skimming devices in Amarillo, Abilene, Lubbock and San Angelo. Investigators said the suspects traveled between West Texas and San Antonio while allegedly installing devices designed to capture credit card and Electronic Benefit Transfer information.
Sebastian Ionut Stefan Bratu, Francesco Matei and Iosiv-Roberto Curea were arrested last Thursday in San Antonio, with multiple skimming devices recovered during the operation. The San Antonio Express-News reported that the arrests involved the Texas Financial Crimes Intelligence Center, Texas Department of Public Safety investigators, Homeland Security Investigations and U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement.
San Antonio Has Seen Repeated Skimmer Sweeps
The arrests come after a major local crackdown last fall, when federal and local authorities inspected more than 4,300 payment terminals, gas pumps and ATMs at 712 San Antonio businesses. A KSAT 12 report said investigators found 17 illegal skimming devices during that two-day operation, underscoring how difficult the devices can be to spot before customers use a machine.
The problem has continued despite that enforcement push. Hoodline previously reported that San Antonio police found 40 skimmers in 2025, down from 51 the year before, but still enough to keep card security on the city’s fraud radar.
What Consumers Can Do About Skimmers
State officials recommend checking card readers for loose, crooked or damaged parts before using them, covering the keypad while entering a PIN and monitoring accounts for unfamiliar transactions. The Texas licensing department also advises customers to report suspicious activity to their financial institution promptly and notify authorities if they find a suspected gas-pump skimmer.
Charges And Next Steps
All three men were booked into the Bexar County Jail and charged with engaging in organized criminal activity, a first-degree felony, according to the state release. The Express-News reported that Bratu also faces a fraud charge, while Matei and Curea face additional allegations involving illegal entry, identifying-information fraud and electronic communications. The charges are allegations, and the cases are expected to proceed in Randall, Lubbock, Potter and Bexar counties.
