A second Romanian national has admitted his involvement in a conspiracy to install card skimming devices on bank ATMs across at least six states, including Rhode Island. United States Attorney Zachary A. Cunha announced that Mario Demarco, also known as Marius Lupu and David Ademec, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit bank fraud.
Demarco, who recently lived in Queens, New York, is the second defendant to plead guilty in this case. His co-defendant, Stefano Garioli, also known as Dumitru Bogdan Pancu and Leon Vutkus from Queens, New York, entered a guilty plea on December 11, 2024.
Court information revealed that starting in May 2022 and lasting for over two years, Demarco and Garioli conspired with others to commit bank fraud by installing skimming devices on ATM machines. These devices were used to steal customer bank account information and PINs. The stolen data was then used to create counterfeit bank cards for fraudulent withdrawals from customers' accounts.
The scheme was first detected on July 5, 2024. A bank branch manager informed the Warwick Police Department after surveillance video captured two men placing a skimming device inside a drive-up ATM. Security footage nearby also recorded their vehicle. This same vehicle was seen two days earlier when another skimming device was placed at an ATM in North Kingstown.
On July 6, Cranston Police identified a vehicle matching the description recorded by security cameras through a Flock camera system. Warwick Police found the vehicle; Demarco was detained near an ATM while Garioli was found sitting inside the car.
Investigations showed that both men collaborated with others over more than two years to place skimmer devices on ATMs in several states: Rhode Island, Massachusetts, Connecticut, New York, New Jersey, and Pennsylvania.
Sentencing for DeMarco and Garioli is scheduled for May 6, 2025. Their sentences will be determined by a federal district judge considering U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other factors.
Assistant United States Attorney Ly T. Chin is prosecuting the case. Homeland Security Investigations led the investigation with support from various police departments including those from Warwick RI; Cranston RI; East Greenwich RI; North Kingstown RI; East Providence RI; Boston MA; New York City NY; and Stratford CT.
