Three members of a credit card skimming ring have been sentenced to significant prison terms following their involvement in a scheme that targeted customers at retail stores in North Texas, including CVS and Walgreens. The Texas Financial Crimes Intelligence Center led the investigation, which revealed that Gheorge-Ciprian Hilitanu, Victor Tecu, and Ionut Firan-Alexandrau stole financial information from at least 783 victims in July 2025.
The defendants installed hidden skimming devices on payment terminals to capture debit and credit card data. After their arrests, law enforcement discovered over 150 skimming devices, 237 re-encoded gift cards, and fraudulent identification documents during a search at an Airbnb where the group was staying. Hilitanu was sentenced to 30 years in prison, while Tecu and Firan-Alexandrau each received 20-year sentences.
Dallas County Criminal District Attorney John Creuzot emphasized the impact of financial crimes on ordinary people, noting that the sentences reflect the serious nature of these offenses. The Texas Financial Crimes Intelligence Center aims to deter such threats to the financial system, and consumers are encouraged to remain vigilant by inspecting card readers and monitoring their accounts regularly.
