Two men from Italy and Romania charged in card-skim scheme

Two men from Italy and Romania are being on high bail on charges they operated an elaborate credit-card skimming scheme in several Middlesex County towns in the Route 128 corridor.

Antonio Testone, 30, of Italy, and Bogdan Ionut Bujor, 28, of Romania, were both arraigned in late October, according to Middlesex District Attorney Marian Ryan. Authorities found more than 120 fraudulent cards and more than $15,000 in cash.



Testone was arraigned in Concord District Court -- charged with one count of money laundering, one count of conspiracy, six counts of uttering a forged credit card, two counts of card fraud over $250, one count of electronic funds transfer violation over $100, six counts of possession of a blank credit card, and one count of credit card fraud under $250. Judge Ellen Caulo ordered Testone held on $100,000 bail.

Bujor was arraigned in Woburn District Court -- charged with seven counts of larceny over $250, three counts of larceny under $250, seven counts of credit-card fraud over $250, two counts of credit-card fraud under $250, money laundering, one count of conspiracy, and one count of an electronic fund transfer violation over $100 in connection with an alleged bank fraud that took place on Mall Road in Burlington.

Bujor was also charged with one count of money laundering, one count of conspiracy, nine counts of larceny over $250, three counts of larceny under $250, one count of conspiracy, one count of violating an electronic fund transfer over $100, nine counts of credit card fraud over $250, and three counts of credit-card fraud under $250 in connection with an alleged bank fraud that took place on Cambridge Street in Burlington.

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Judge Timothy Gailey set bail at $250,000 for each incident.
"As our office continues to see an increase in the number of credit-card frauds and skimming devices across Middlesex County, the arrest of these two defendants is extremely critical in helping to protect the public from becoming victims of these types of schemes," Ryan said in a statement.

"Through the work of the Burlington and Bedford Police Departments, we were able to apprehend these two suspects for their alleged involvement in a multi-bank fraud potentially protecting many more people from being victimized by this large- scale scheme," she added.

In late October, several branches of a local-area bank reported incidents of fraudulent transactions. These banks were located on Mall Road and Cambridge Street in Burlington, as well as on the Great Road in Bedford.

Bedford and Burlington Police Departments confirmed through the use of still photos and video images that the same suspects were responsible for the alleged thefts at all three banks.

Subsequent search warrants resulted in the recovery of more than 120 fraudulent cards, documents appearing to be ATM card PINs, and more than $15,000 cash allegedly in the possession of the two defendants. Investigators believe other suspects are involved in the matter and the investigation is ongoing.

Follow Rick Sobey on Twitter and Tout @rsobeyLSun.



source - lowellsun