Another Suspect Pleads Guilty in ATM Skimming Scheme

A fourth suspect has pled guilty to participating in  that struck the  at Goodwives Shopping Center.

Ion "Tarzan" Constantine, 34, admitted to one count of conspiracy to commit bank fraud Friday before U.S. Magistrate Judge Holly B. Fitzsimmons in Bridgeport.

According to prosecutors, Constantine — a Romanian citizen living in Glendale, N.Y. — directed Laura Stiuca, 32, and Nadia Pasici, 49 to install devices on ATMs and card swipe access machines last spring at several branches of People's United Bank. The devices capture information on the magnetic strips of bank cards.

Stiuca and Pasici also installed hidden cameras to capture cardholders' PINs, prosecutors said, allowing them to make withdrawals in Greenwich, Stamford, and Darien using counterfeit versions of the cards. 

On April 22, Stiuca, Pasici, and Sabrina Matache, 22,  (25 Old Kings Hwy. N) after the Connecticut Financial Crimes Task Force was alerted to activity on a counterfeit card first used in Cos Cob.  assisted in the arrest.

Investigators said the trio — all Romanian citizens — was found to be in possession of about $2,000 in cash, handwritten notes with addresses of People's United locations, and other tools reportedly used in the scheme.

The three were indicted along with Constantine in March by a federal grand jury.  and are awaiting sentencing.

Constantine is scheduled to be sentenced Oct. 31. He faces as many as 30 years in prison and a fine up to $1 million.

The case is being prosecuted by Asst. U.S. Attorneys Douglas P. Morabito and Susan L. Wines.