Romanian Man Florin Nicolae Tarta Sentenced to 6¾ Years for Bank of America ATM Skimming in Chicago and New Jersey

Case from 2025 (U.S. Attorney's Office release: Sept. 17, 2025). Published on Scammers.com Oct. 16, 2026; case status is current as of that date.

Florin Nicolae Tarta, 40, of Satu Mare, Romania, was sentenced on Sept. 10, 2025, to six years and nine months in federal prison for installing card-skimming devices on Bank of America ATMs in Chicago and New Jersey to steal debit card numbers and PINs, the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Northern District of Illinois announced [1]. Losses from the scheme totaled $177,280, according to the release.

How the scheme worked

According to the U.S. Attorney's Office [1]:

1. The skimmer: Tarta and two others inserted devices into numerous Bank of America ATMs. Each was a metal plate fitted with a card reader, memory chip and battery that captured account data from users' cards.
2. The camera: They placed a pinhole camera near the keypad to record people typing their PINs.
3. Cloned cards: Days later, they removed the devices and used a computer to write the stolen data onto the magnetic strips of gift cards.
4. Cash-outs: They used the counterfeit cards to withdraw cash at various banks.
5. Caught: The scheme ended in March 2024 when police found the hidden camera on an ATM in Westfield, New Jersey. Tarta was arrested when he returned to the machine.

The people sentenced

Florin Nicolae Tarta, 40, Satu Mare, Romania [1]

• Verdict: convicted by a federal jury in Chicago in 2025 of bank fraud, access device fraud and aggravated identity theft.
• Sentence: six years and nine months in federal prison, imposed Sept. 10, 2025, by U.S. District Judge LaShonda A. Hunt.

Co-defendants (pleaded guilty, previously sentenced):

• Leonid Grigore Smetanca, 45, Satu Mare, Romania: three and a half years in prison.
• Radu Farcas, 42, London: two and a half years in prison.

The case was investigated by the FBI Chicago Field Office with help from the Westfield, N.J., Police Department and prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Brian Hayes.

Red flags at the ATM

• A card slot that feels loose, bulky or different from other machines.
• Anything stuck above or beside the keypad, such as a small strip or hole that could hide a camera.
• A keypad that feels raised or spongy.

What to do if you're targeted

1. Cover the keypad with your hand when typing your PIN.
2. Use ATMs inside bank branches when you can, and turn on transaction alerts.
3. If you spot a skimmer, don't use the machine; tell the bank and call police. Report unauthorized withdrawals to your bank immediately.

Case status (as of Oct. 16, 2026)

Defendant	Court	Status as of Oct. 16, 2026	Source
Florin Nicolae Tarta, 40, Satu Mare, Romania	N.D. Ill. (Judge Hunt)	Convicted by jury (bank fraud, access device fraud, aggravated identity theft); sentenced Sept. 10, 2025, to 6 years 9 months	[1]
Leonid Grigore Smetanca, 45, Satu Mare, Romania	N.D. Ill.	Pleaded guilty; sentenced to 3½ years	[1]
Radu Farcas, 42, London	N.D. Ill.	Pleaded guilty; sentenced to 2½ years	[1]

Sources

1. U.S. Attorney's Office, Northern District of Illinois, "Man Sentenced to More than Six and a Half Years in Prison for ATM Card-Skimming Fraud," Sept. 17, 2025. https://www.justice.gov/usao-ndil/pr/man-sentenced-more-six-and-half-years-prison-atm-card-skimming-fraud

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