Two Romanians arrested in US over million dollar cash machine fraud

Police have arrested two Romanians in the US on suspicion of carrying out ATM frauds worth USD 1 million. The pair, reportedly illegal immigrants, were arrested in Englewood, New Jersey, on the banks of the Hudson River.

Police charged Constantin Ginga, 52, and Marius Gheorghe Cotiga, 34, with a range of crimes, including theft and credit card fraud, according to Englewood police chief Arthur O'Keefe, quoted by local news service NorthJersey.com. The two Romanians were arrested on Sunday, January 13 and then held on USD 100,000 bail in nearby Bergen County Jail, Hackensack. They apparently fitted devices to read card numbers to ATMs, as well as mini-cameras to capture PIN numbers. Police were tipped off by reports of compromised bank accounts from the public and spotted the suspects “acting suspiciously” at an ATM. As well as USD 10,000 in cash, the Romanians were found with disguises, including wigs and fake mustaches. “Agents from US Immigration and Customs Enforcement, the Secret Service and the US Department of Homeland Security are involved in the ongoing investigation,” Chief O’Keefe said, quoted by NewJersey.com. Read the full report here. editor@romania-insider.com