Romanian Man Sentenced for Skimming Welfare Cards

A Romanian national has received a 10-year federal prison sentence for his involvement in skimming thousands of electronic benefits transfer (EBT) cards, affecting recipients in New York and California. This information was disclosed by authorities on Monday.

Catalin Marius Graur was sentenced by US District Judge Mark Scalci, as noted in a statement from the US Attorney’s Office for the Central District of California.

Graur, who entered the U.S. on a tourist visa in 2020, overstayed it. According to the statement, he traveled around Los Angeles and the Inland Empire, where he installed advanced skimming devices at ATMs and point-of-sale terminals, capturing account details of those who used the machines.

He was arrested in June 2024 at an Airbnb in New York City, as reported by the US Attorney’s Office. In October 2024, Graur pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit bank fraud.

The US Attorney’s Office revealed that Graur collaborated with various members of Romanian criminal organizations. A search of an accomplice’s residence indicated that Graur had sent him over 36,000 stolen EBT card numbers within a span of three years.

Graur specifically targeted EBT card recipients, highlighting the extent of his fraudulent activities.

This case isn’t isolated; other illegal immigrants have faced consequences for overstaying their visas. For instance, Mohamed Sabri Soliman was allegedly involved in a terrorist attack in June 2025 when he threw a Molotov cocktail at peaceful demonstrators in Boulder, Colorado. His visa had also expired, and he was previously approved for multiple tourist visits.

The attack resulted in the tragic death of an 82-year-old woman and injuries to several others, underscoring the serious implications of such criminal actions.