A group of Romanians has been sentenced in Belgium to prison for fuel card fraud.

A group of Romanians was sentenced by the court in Ghent, Belgium, to prison terms of up to seven years for a sophisticated fuel card fraud scheme, with total damages amounting to 350,000 euros. Members of the gang were accused by prosecutors of conducting fraudulent fuel top-up transactions using fake cards, created by copying details from original cards with the help of a skimming device.

The investigation began after the discovery of such a device at a gas station in East Flanders, and the police identified a well-organized network consisting of truck drivers and coordinators who purchased fake cards. The gang cloned at least 89 cards and carried out over 500 fraudulent transactions.

Following an operation conducted in January 2025, 17 individuals were arrested, and eight defendants did not appear before the court. The maximum sentence was seven years in prison, while others ranged between 3 and 6 years. Only one defendant was acquitted due to lack of evidence.