5/9/2018 Romanian kingpin jailed for 11 years in ATM skimming scam | Daily Mail Online

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Kingpin of ATM gang, 39, ‘sticks two Site Web Enter your search

ingers up’ to the law by posting

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blueprints for his 'skimming' devices
online after leeing Britain to avoid 11-
year jail term for £3m worldwide scam
Alexandru Sovu designed 'skimmers' for ATM fronts which steal data from cards
He was part of a gang who built the devices in a shed in Colchester, Essex
Romanian gang sold devices to criminals in New York and Thailand in £3m scam
Sentenced to 11-years, he has led country and is already reuploading designs

By DIANNE APEN-SADLER FOR MAILONLINE

PUBLISHED: 16:45, 12 February 2018 | UPDATED: 16:45, 12 February 2018

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Deichmann Slip On Shoe,
A Romanian fraudster who left a judge Ladies Shoes beige
fearing he may never use a cash
£34.99 £44.99 Slip On Shoe at
machine again was jailed for 11 years Deichmann. 5th Avenue Ladies
today for putting ‘two ingers up’ to the Slip-On White These slip-on
law. shoes...

Alexandru Sovu, 39, designed ‘skimmers’ VISIT SITE

and ATM fronts which were sold to
criminals in New York, Jamaica,
Cambodia, Vietnam, Thailand, Ghana
Like +1
and the Philippines, in a £3million scam. Daily Mail Daily Mail

Follow Follow
The 'skimmers' capture data from bank @DailyMail Daily Mail
cards after they are placed into a cash
Follow Follow
machine, giving criminals access to the
Read More
@dailymailuk Daily Mail
money connected to the card.
+6 DON'T MISS
Sovu, who absconded during his trial at
The royals as you've
Blackfriars Crown Court after he was Alexandru Sovu, 39, was jailed for 11 years never seen them before:
granted bail and is believed to be in Amateur snaps of
today for his role in designing and selling 
Charles, Diana, Meghan
China or Romania, has already begun 'skimmers' which steal bank machine users' and Kate unearthed
details from fans' attics across
reuploading blue-prints of his designs to the country
his website cardreaderfactory.com.
Kim Kardashian
exhibits her perfect
The website is currently down again. 
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-5381775/Romanian-kingpin-jailed-11-years-ATM-skimming-scam.html 1/37
5/9/2018 Romanian kingpin jailed for 11 years in ATM skimming scam | Daily Mail Online
Anca Fuioaga, 37, who worked as Sovu’s ‘UK representative’, was also jailed for 30 proportions - as well
as her control Spanx - in
months today after she was convicted of conspiracy to make and supply articles for high-cut yellow gown at
Business Of Fashion
use in fraud and transferring criminal property. dinner

Sovu and Fuioaga were part of a gang of Romanians who built the skimmers and
false ATM fronts from a shed in a back garden in Harwich Road, Colchester, Essex.

The crooks used toy remote control cars to fool airport security when transporting
the skimmers. By placing them inside the cars, they appeared as innocent wiring for
the toys. Tamara Ecclestone
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Sovu and others posted designs for 'skimmers' (pictured) online and sold them to criminals internet cafe
across the globe as part of a £3million scam. The skimmers steal ATM users card details
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5/9/2018 Romanian kingpin jailed for 11 years in ATM skimming scam | Daily Mail Online

+6 +6

Ionel Baluta (left) and Andrei Baloui (right) manufactured the fraud machines from a shed in
Colchester, Essex. They hid the skimmers within remote control cars to fool airport security

‘The operation ran all over the world. In places such as New York and New Zealand.
Each of the devices he used was able to stores the details of 30,000 card user
details.' 

Earlier Judge Shetty had told jurors: ‘I know for one that I will never use an ATM
machine again with such con idence.'
Tallia Storm displays
Sovu arrived in UK in 2008 after completing a degree in Computer Programming her taut abs and perky
and Electronics. He started a job at a software irm but was made redundant. derriere in a bright
green bikini as she
soaks up the sun in
Mr Shaw said that the case involved 'millions of pounds of fraud' because the device Cannes
'gives them access to your money and the banks money'. 
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Mr Shaw added: ‘He’s a very industrious and intelligent man but he is also a on PDA with beau Sam
Asghari as couple
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5/9/2018 Romanian kingpin jailed for 11 years in ATM skimming scam | Daily Mail Online
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+6 +6

Sovu was convicted alongside Anca Fuioaga (left), who acted as his UK representative. Paula
Cioaca (right), the wife of another fraud gang member, was cleared of any involvement

‘Without the technology Mr Sovu has designed and developed, much of the crime
we will hear in this trial could not have happened.’ 

The gang was inally stopped in 2016 after British Transport Police o icers identi ied
suspects interfering with rail ticket machines.

One member Ionel Baluta, 34, was jailed for six years and eight months in December
2016 after he after he admitted offences including conspiracy to defraud.

Baluta’s wife Paula Cioaca, 32, was cleared of involvement last week after denying
any knowledge of the plot.
Blanca Blanco flaunts
her toned abs and pert
Andrei Baloui, 32, who also helped build the skimmers and false ATM fronts in posterior in skimpy
Baluta’s shed, was earlier jailed for ive years. stripe bikini in Malibu
Tiny white and red bikini
top which showcased her
Three other gang members - Anisoara Mitocaru, 34, from Radlett, Florin Enache, 40, decolletage

from Beamway, Dagenham, and Dumitru Mihaila, 42, from East Ham, London - were
Frankie Bridge enjoys
also jailed for their parts. date night with husband
ADVERTISEMENT Wayne in plunging
dress... and Saturdays
bandmate Mollie King
tags along
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