On July 18, 2025, officers from the Texas Financial Crimes Intelligence Center (FCIC) executed a search warrant at a residence in Dallas, uncovering a nationwide credit card skimming operation. The raid followed a tip from a merchant who had discovered a skimming device the day before.
Inside the residence, investigators seized 115 credit card skimmers, $50,000 in cash, 25 fake IDs, and over 300 payment cards that had been re-encoded with victims’ account data. FCIC analysts estimate the bust prevented approximately $23 million in additional potential fraud.
Three men — Victor Marian Tecu, Triussa Gabrielle (also known as Ionut Firan Alexandrau), and Gheorge Ciprian Hilitanu — were arrested at the scene. All three suspects are Romanian nationals and are believed to be part of a larger transnational criminal organization.
Each suspect is charged with the following offenses:
- Engaging in Organized Criminal Activity
- Unlawful Interception of Electronic Communications
- Tampering With a Government Document
- Fraudulent Use or Possession of Credit Card or Debit Card Information
The investigation is ongoing. The operation involved multiple agencies, including the Texas Department of Public Safety North Texas TAG, Euless Police Department, Dallas Police Department, and the U.S. Department of State Diplomatic Security Service…