A Romanian was sentenced in the USA to 18 months in prison for bank fraud.

Marius Cătălin Trica was sentenced to 18 months in prison in the United States for bank fraud, following an investigation conducted by Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Los Angeles. Trica pleaded guilty on November 24, 2025, and the sentencing was pronounced on March 6.

The case is part of a larger investigation targeting a transnational criminal network involved in card and financial data fraud. The investigation revealed that Trica and others illegally introduced skimming devices and false identification documents into the U.S., used to copy data from cards.

This information was used to create cloned cards, affecting even beneficiaries of social assistance programs in New York. Trica illegally entered the U.S. multiple times, the last time using an ambulance from Mexico.

U.S. authorities collaborated with institutions in Romania to combat this network. HSI emphasized the importance of protecting vulnerable citizens from such frauds. Investigators recommend that users be cautious at payment terminals to prevent fraud.