San Angelo Credit Card Data Targeted in $6M Skimming Scheme

SAN ANGELO, TX — Three Romanian men accused of installing skimming devices that stole credit card and Electronic Benefit Transfer data from consumers in San Angelo and other West Texas cities were arrested last week, state officials announced Friday. 

Sebastian Ionut Stefan Bratu, Francesco Matei and Iosiv-Roberto Curea were taken into custody Thursday, July 16, in the 2300 block of Austin Highway in San Antonio. Texas Financial Crimes Intelligence Center special agents made the arrests with help from the Texas Department of Public Safety Criminal Investigations Division in San Antonio, Department of Homeland Security Investigations and U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement. 

Each was booked into the Bexar County Jail and charged with engaging in organized criminal activity, a first-degree felony. Prosecutors will handle the cases in Randall, Lubbock, Tom Green, Potter and Bexar counties. 

The investigation started in June after retailers reported multiple point-of-sale skimming devices. Authorities said the suspects placed the devices on payment terminals across West Texas, capturing card information from shoppers in San Angelo, Amarillo, Abilene and Lubbock. 

Investigators recovered several of the devices, preventing an estimated $6 million in losses to Texas consumers and businesses. The three men, believed to be linked to a large transnational organized crime group, traveled between West Texas and the San Antonio area, according to a news release.

"Financial crimes like skimming don’t just steal money — they undermine confidence in the everyday transactions Texans rely on,” Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation Executive Director Courtney Arbour said. “This investigation reflects the strength of the partnerships between FCIC, our law enforcement partners, and retailers across the state.”

Texas FCIC Director Adam Colby said the case shows the center’s ongoing work to stop financial losses and dismantle criminal networks targeting the state’s economy.