FBI Seeks Birdal Osman in $220,000 EBT Skimming Scheme
Fugitive Wanted for Bank Fraud and Aggravated Identity Theft After More Than 300 Benefits Accounts Were Targeted
Birdal Osman is wanted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation on federal charges of bank fraud and aggravated identity theft in connection with an electronic benefits transfer skimming operation that targeted government assistance recipients in California. Federal authorities say Osman and other members of the group installed electronic skimming equipment on point-of-sale terminals to capture information from victims' EBT cards. During the scheme, the group requested more than $220,000 in EBT disbursements from more than 300 victims' accounts.
A federal arrest warrant was issued for Osman on April 19, 2023, in the United States District Court for the Central District of California in Santa Ana. He remains listed among the FBI's Most Wanted white-collar crime fugitives and was last seen in Southern California. The FBI's Los Angeles Field Office is responsible for his wanted notice and continues to seek information concerning his whereabouts.
A Scheme Targeting Government Benefits
Electronic benefits transfer cards, commonly known as EBT cards, allow recipients of government assistance programs to electronically access their benefits and function in a similar manner to conventional debit cards. The operation connected to Osman targeted those cards without requiring criminals to physically steal them from victims. Instead, skimming equipment was installed on payment terminals to secretly collect information as recipients used their cards.
Federal investigators say Osman and the other subjects made and installed small electronic devices capable of recording, storing, or transmitting card information. Some devices could be installed inside standalone point-of-sale terminals and remain completely out of view of customers. ATMs, cash registers, gas station payment terminals, and similar machines can provide opportunities for this type of equipment to intercept card information during what appears to be an ordinary transaction.
The victim could complete a purchase or withdrawal and leave with the original EBT card still in hand. There might be no immediate indication that anything unusual had happened because the legitimate terminal could continue functioning while the hidden equipment collected the card information. The stolen data could then be retrieved or transmitted for use in unauthorized transactions.
Hidden Cameras Used to Capture PIN Numbers
The operation did not rely exclusively on information captured from the cards. Federal authorities say very small cameras were also attached to point-of-sale terminals to record customers entering their personal identification numbers. Combining the information captured from an EBT card with the victim's PIN could provide the information needed to access the account.
The cameras could be positioned so that victims had little reason to notice they were being recorded. A customer could enter a PIN, complete a transaction, retrieve the card, and leave without realizing that both the card information and security code had been compromised. This allowed those responsible for the operation to obtain multiple pieces of information during a single interaction with a compromised terminal.
Information recovered from or transmitted by the skimming devices could then be used alone or together with another access device. Federal investigators say the stolen information allowed unauthorized charges or withdrawals to be made without the account holder's knowledge, consent, or authorization. Victims might only discover the theft later when reviewing their account or attempting to access benefits that were no longer available.
More Than 300 Victims' Accounts Targeted
The scale of the operation extended far beyond a handful of compromised cards. Federal authorities say Osman and the other subjects requested disbursements totaling more than $220,000 from more than 300 EBT accounts. Each compromised account belonged to a benefits recipient whose government assistance had become a target of the operation.
The investigation is particularly significant because EBT funds are intended to support people and families who qualify for government assistance. These benefits can be used for essential expenses, including food and other household needs, meaning unauthorized withdrawals can have an immediate effect on victims. A person discovering that benefits have disappeared may have limited resources available while attempting to report and resolve the fraudulent transactions.
The FBI's Los Angeles Field Office has described the broader investigation as an ATM skimming theft network targeting debit cards issued to government aid beneficiaries. Investigators identified several individuals connected with the operation and sought assistance from the public in locating those who remained fugitives. The investigation involved cooperation between federal and local law-enforcement agencies in Southern California.
Multiple Men Sought in the Investigation
Osman was identified alongside Silviu-Florin Spiridon, Ilie-Sebastian-Laur Vasilescu, Bogdan Adrian Purgariu, and another individual originally known by the alias "Walerian Grabowski." Federal authorities sought the men in connection with the same broader scheme involving compromised EBT cards and point-of-sale terminals. The investigation focused on how the group obtained card information and used it to access money belonging to government benefits recipients.
Two additional defendants, Ionut Dragos Munteanu, also known as "Nicolay Kalinowski," and Claudiu Mezinu, had already been arrested when the FBI publicly announced its search for the remaining fugitives in July 2023. Their arrests demonstrated that the investigation involved a larger network rather than a single person installing an isolated skimming device. Authorities continued searching for the remaining individuals while the federal prosecution moved forward.
The investigation brought together the FBI, San Diego County Bureau of Public Assistance Investigations, Irvine Police Department, Orange County District Attorney's Office, and United States Attorney's Office. The case was prosecuted through the United States Attorney's Office in Los Angeles. The cooperation between multiple agencies reflected both the scale of the operation and the number of victims whose benefits accounts had been affected.
California Was Already Facing Major EBT Theft Losses
When the FBI announced the search for the fugitives in July 2023, it also released figures showing the broader scale of EBT theft affecting California's public assistance programs. According to information provided by the California Department of Social Services and published by the FBI, losses to CalWORKs and CalFresh programs since September 2021 had reached tens of millions of dollars. Those statewide losses extended well beyond the specific $220,000 scheme connected to Osman and the other defendants.
The FBI reported estimated CalWORKs cash losses of $75,398,202 and CalFresh losses of approximately $23.38 million during that period. Together, those figures illustrate the enormous financial impact that EBT theft and related fraud were having on California benefits programs. The specific federal case involving Osman represented one part of a much broader problem confronting investigators and public assistance agencies.
Electronic skimming can be especially effective against benefits programs because compromised information can potentially be collected from large numbers of people using the same terminal. A single device left in place can collect data from multiple cards before being discovered. Organized groups can then use that information to make unauthorized withdrawals or transactions at other locations.
How Skimming Equipment Can Remain Undetected
The success of a skimming operation often depends on making the equipment difficult for ordinary customers to detect. Devices can be placed over legitimate card readers, concealed within machines, or designed to resemble components of the original payment terminal. The equipment described in the Osman investigation included devices capable of being hidden inside standalone terminals and operating without customers realizing they were present.
Once installed, the skimmer could intercept information whenever a victim used a card. Depending on the equipment, stolen information could be stored for later physical retrieval or transmitted electronically to people operating the scheme. This allows criminals to obtain significant quantities of financial information without repeatedly returning to the compromised terminal.
Miniature cameras provided the second component necessary to compromise accounts protected by PIN numbers. By recording the keypad while a customer entered a PIN, those responsible could connect the security code with card information collected by the skimmer. The victim could remain unaware until fraudulent withdrawals or transactions began appearing.
Who Is Birdal Osman?
Birdal Osman was born on March 25, 1981. The FBI describes him as approximately 5 feet 9 inches tall and weighing about 189 pounds. Federal authorities identify "Ludwik Jasinski" as an alias associated with him.
The FBI has released multiple photographs of Osman to assist with his identification. He was last seen in Southern California, although authorities have not publicly identified a specific current city or address. His continued presence in the FBI's national white-collar crime wanted listings indicates that federal investigators are still seeking information that could establish his current location.
The alias associated with Osman may be particularly important in locating him. Someone who encounters him may know him as Ludwik Jasinski rather than Birdal Osman and may therefore be unaware that he is wanted under another identity. Publishing both the wanted name and known alias gives members of the public and law-enforcement agencies additional information that could assist with identification.
Federal Arrest Warrant Issued
On April 19, 2023, a federal arrest warrant was issued for Birdal Osman by the United States District Court for the Central District of California in Santa Ana. He was charged with bank fraud and aggravated identity theft in connection with the EBT skimming investigation. The warrant remains active, and Osman continues to be sought by federal authorities.
The charges connect Osman to an operation that targeted hundreds of benefits accounts and requested more than $220,000 in EBT disbursements. Investigators say the scheme relied on concealed electronic devices and cameras to obtain information without victims realizing their accounts had been compromised. The use of stolen card data and PIN information allowed unauthorized access to benefits without requiring possession of the victim's original card.
Osman remains a fugitive while the federal criminal case is pending. His current FBI wanted profile continues to list the same federal charges and identifies the Los Angeles Field Office as responsible for the investigation. Authorities are asking anyone with information concerning his whereabouts to provide it directly to law enforcement.
The Impact on Government Benefits Recipients
EBT theft can create serious consequences because victims often depend on the stolen funds for immediate expenses. Benefits distributed through these programs are intended to help qualifying households purchase food and meet other essential needs. When money is removed through unauthorized transactions, victims may discover the loss at the exact moment they are attempting to use those benefits.
The operation connected to Osman demonstrates how technology can allow criminals to target hundreds of people without physically taking their cards. More than 300 accounts were involved in requests for over $220,000 in EBT funds, showing how quickly losses can accumulate across a large group of victims. The broader California figures released by the FBI also demonstrate that skimming and benefits theft had developed into a much larger statewide problem.
Protecting EBT accounts therefore requires both law-enforcement investigations and awareness among cardholders. Unusual equipment attached to a payment terminal, components that appear loose or altered, or objects positioned near a keypad can potentially indicate tampering. Covering the keypad while entering a PIN can also reduce the ability of a hidden camera to capture the security code.
Osman Remains Wanted
Birdal Osman remains wanted by the FBI on federal charges of bank fraud and aggravated identity theft. His arrest warrant has been outstanding since April 19, 2023, and federal authorities state that he was last seen in Southern California. He remains listed among the FBI's Most Wanted white-collar crime fugitives as investigators continue searching for information concerning his location.
Anyone with information concerning Osman should contact the FBI or another appropriate law-enforcement agency directly. Individuals outside the United States can contact the nearest American Embassy or Consulate, and information can also be submitted through the FBI's official tip system. Members of the public should not attempt to confront, follow, detain, or apprehend a wanted individual.
