Vlad Terebes, a Romanian citizen, was extradited from the United Kingdom to Puerto Rico on May 31, 2024, to face multiple charges, including aggravated identity theft and bank fraud.
The indictment alleges that Terebes and his accomplices used card skimming devices to obtain sensitive information from credit and debit card transactions at several major retail stores across Manatí, Canóvanas, Caguas, and Carolina, Puerto Rico. The number of affected victims is estimated to be over 1,200.
The criminals then used the stolen data (credit and debit card numbers, names, and personal identifying information) to attempt withdrawals totaling around $20,421 from the victims’ bank accounts at a financial institution in Puerto Rico.
Terebes was arrested in the UK on February 2, 2024, at the request of the US authorities. If convicted, the man faces a maximum penalty of 30 years in prison, along with a mandatory consecutive sentence of at least two years for each aggravated identity theft charge.
Original Source: https://www.justice.gov/usao-pr/pr/romanian-man-extradited-puerto-rico-face-charges-aggravated-identity-theft-and-bank
Cyber Law and Cybercrime Investigation Blog: Immuniweb