Three individuals connected to a credit card skimming operation have been sentenced to significant prison time after targeting retail customers in the Dallas-Fort Worth area, according to the Dallas County Criminal District Attorney's Office. Gheorge-Ciprian Hilitanu, Victor Tecu, and Ionut Firan-Alexandrau were involved in a scheme that affected CVS and Walgreens shoppers across North Texas in July 2025, compromising the financial data of at least 783 victims.
The Texas Financial Crimes Intelligence Center led the investigation, revealing that the defendants had installed hidden skimming devices on payment terminals to capture card information without customers’ knowledge. These devices record data from a card's magnetic strip when swiped, enabling criminals to create counterfeit cards or conduct unauthorized transactions.
Following their arrests, authorities executed a search warrant at an Airbnb where the suspects were staying, uncovering over 150 skimming devices, 237 re-encoded gift cards with stolen information, and equipment for manufacturing counterfeit cards. Hilitanu was sentenced to 30 years in prison for his role in organized crime and related offenses. Tecu and Firan-Alexandrau received 20-year sentences each after pleading guilty.
Dallas County Criminal District Attorney John Creuzot emphasized the impact of such financial crimes on everyday individuals. The district attorney's office advises consumers to inspect card readers, cover keypads when entering PINs, and monitor account activity to safeguard against skimming.