Courtesy Photo/Eduardo Soares: person pressing keys of an atm
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BOSTON — A Romanian national involved in an ATM skimming scheme was sentenced in federal court on racketeering conspiracy charges.
According to a press release from the FBI, Dragush Nelo Hornea, 26, was sentenced today in Boston by U.S. Senior District Court Judge William Young to 21 months in prison and one year of supervised release. He was also ordered to pay restitution in the amount of $90,452, the release said.
Hornea was one of the leaders of the so-called “Hornea Crew.” For about a year and a half, the crew installed skimming devices in ATM machines, which allowed them to steal debit card and pin numbers. The skimming devices were installed in 10 municipalities throughout Massachusetts, including: Amherst, Bellingham, Billerica, Braintree, Chicopee, Quincy, Southwick, Waltham, Weymouth and Whately. Connecticut, South Carolina, and Georgia were targeted as well.
On Oct. 5, 2021, Hornea plead guilty to one count of conspiracy to conduct enterprise affairs through a pattern of racketeering activity (more commonly known as RICO conspiracy) and one count of conspiracy to use counterfeit access devices. He was initially indicted in 2017 with 13-codefendants.
