FBI Seeks Bogdan Adrian Purgariu in $220,000 EBT Skimming Scheme
Fugitive Wanted for Bank Fraud and Aggravated Identity Theft After More Than 300 Benefits Accounts Were Targeted
Bogdan Adrian Purgariu is wanted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation on federal charges of bank fraud and aggravated identity theft in connection with a large-scale electronic benefits transfer skimming operation in California. Federal authorities say Purgariu and other members of the group installed electronic skimming devices on point-of-sale terminals to capture information from EBT cards belonging to recipients of government assistance. During the operation, more than $220,000 in disbursements were requested from more than 300 victims' accounts.
A federal arrest warrant was issued for Purgariu 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 authorities say he was last seen in Southern California. The FBI's Los Angeles Field Office is responsible for the wanted notice and continues to seek information concerning his whereabouts.
A Scheme Targeting Government Benefits
The operation targeted electronic benefits transfer cards, commonly known as EBT cards, which function similarly to debit cards and allow recipients to access government benefits. Instead of physically stealing the cards, those involved in the scheme used electronic equipment designed to secretly capture the information stored on them. This allowed account information to be compromised while victims continued to possess their original cards.
Purgariu and the other subjects are accused of making and installing skimming devices on point-of-sale terminals throughout California. The equipment was capable of recording, storing, or transmitting information captured when a victim used a compromised terminal. Some devices were small enough to be installed inside standalone terminals, placing them completely out of view of customers.
Gas station payment terminals, ATMs, cash registers, and other point-of-sale equipment can provide opportunities for this type of device to be concealed. A customer could insert or swipe an EBT card without realizing that additional electronic equipment had been installed inside or around the legitimate terminal. The transaction could appear completely normal while the victim's card information was being secretly collected.
Hidden Cameras Captured Victims' PIN Numbers
Obtaining information from the magnetic stripe or other components of an EBT card was only one part of the operation. Federal authorities say very small cameras were also attached to terminals so the group could record customers entering their personal identification numbers. Capturing both the card information and PIN gave those responsible the information necessary to access victims' accounts.
The cameras could be positioned so discreetly that customers would have little reason to suspect they were being recorded. A victim could complete a purchase, remove the card, and leave without knowing that both the account information and PIN had been compromised. The stolen information could then be used later, long after the original transaction had taken place.
Information obtained from the skimming equipment could be recovered from the device or transmitted to those operating it. The stolen data could then be used alone or together with another access device to make unauthorized charges or withdraw money from a victim's account. The account holder could remain unaware of the theft until checking the account balance or attempting to use benefits that were no longer available.
More Than 300 Victims Targeted
Federal authorities say the group requested more than $220,000 in EBT disbursements from more than 300 victims' accounts during the scheme. The scale of the operation demonstrates how a relatively small piece of electronic equipment can be used to compromise large numbers of people. Unlike a traditional theft, a single compromised payment terminal can potentially collect information from numerous victims over time.
The people targeted were recipients of federal and state government benefits, making the financial consequences particularly serious. EBT funds are commonly relied upon by individuals and families to purchase food and meet essential household needs. Removing those funds can leave victims without money they expected to have available for basic necessities.
Electronic skimming can also make it difficult for victims to immediately understand how their money was stolen. Because the original card remains in their possession, there may be no obvious indication that the account has been compromised. Unauthorized withdrawals can appear later and potentially occur in locations far from where the card information was originally captured.
Multiple Fugitives Connected to the Operation
Purgariu is one of several men sought by federal authorities in connection with the EBT skimming investigation. The FBI identified Birdal Osman, Silviu-Florin Spiridon, Ilie-Sebastian-Laur Vasilescu, Purgariu, and another man originally known by the alias "Walerian Grabowski" as fugitives connected to the broader operation. All were sought as part of an investigation into an ATM and EBT skimming network targeting government benefits recipients.
Federal authorities also identified Ionut Dragos Munteanu, also known as "Nicolay Kalinowski," and Claudiu Mezinu as defendants connected with the investigation. Those two men had already been arrested when the FBI publicly announced its search for the remaining fugitives in July 2023. The combination of arrests and outstanding warrants showed that investigators were dealing with an organized network rather than a single isolated skimming incident.
The investigation involved the FBI and several partner agencies, including the San Diego County Bureau of Public Assistance Investigations and the Irvine Police Department. Cooperation between federal and local investigators was particularly important because the skimming activity involved payment terminals and victims across multiple California communities. The FBI's Los Angeles Field Office has continued to coordinate the search for the remaining fugitives.
Skimming Devices Designed to Stay Hidden
The effectiveness of a skimming operation depends heavily on preventing customers from noticing that a legitimate terminal has been altered. Equipment can be designed to resemble parts of the original machine or be concealed entirely inside the terminal. This makes visual detection difficult for customers who have no reason to suspect that a machine has been compromised.
Federal authorities say some of the devices used in this operation could be installed inside standalone point-of-sale terminals. Once installed, the equipment could intercept information whenever an access card was swiped through the machine. The devices were capable of storing the captured information locally or transmitting it elsewhere.
The addition of miniature cameras created another layer of surveillance. Even if the skimmer obtained the necessary information from the card itself, a PIN might still be required to access the victim's benefits. Recording customers as they entered their PINs allowed those responsible for the scheme to obtain both pieces of information during the same transaction.
Southern California at the Center of the Investigation
The FBI says Purgariu was last seen in Southern California, and the federal arrest warrant was issued in Santa Ana. The broader investigation centered on skimming activity at point-of-sale terminals throughout California. Several of the other fugitives connected to the operation were also last seen in Southern California.
The case has involved federal and local agencies throughout the region, reflecting the geographic reach of the operation. Investigators were required to connect compromised terminals, unauthorized transactions, victims, electronic equipment, and the individuals believed to be responsible. Identifying patterns across multiple incidents can be essential in determining whether apparently separate fraud cases are actually part of the same network.
Southern California's large population and enormous number of retail payment terminals can also create opportunities for skimming operations to move between locations. A device can potentially be installed, removed, and relocated while stolen information is used elsewhere. That mobility makes cooperation between law-enforcement agencies particularly important.
Who Is Bogdan Adrian Purgariu?
Bogdan Adrian Purgariu was born on May 15, 1987. The FBI describes him as approximately 6 feet 2 inches tall and weighing about 231 pounds. Federal authorities have released photographs of Purgariu to assist law enforcement and members of the public in identifying him.
The FBI lists two aliases associated with Purgariu: "Simon Bertak" and "Stephen Sawicki." Alternate identities can be significant in fugitive investigations because an individual may be known to employers, acquaintances, landlords, or other people under a name different from the one appearing on the federal arrest warrant. Publishing those aliases can help someone recognize that a person they know may be wanted under another identity.
Purgariu was last seen in Southern California, but the FBI does not currently provide a specific city as his present location. His continued inclusion in the bureau's national white-collar crime wanted listings confirms that authorities remain interested in information concerning his whereabouts. Anyone who recognizes Purgariu from his photographs or aliases should provide that information directly to law enforcement.
Federal Arrest Warrant Issued
On April 19, 2023, a federal arrest warrant was issued for Bogdan Adrian Purgariu in 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 associated with his current FBI wanted notice.
Bank fraud and aggravated identity theft are serious federal offenses, particularly when an investigation involves the unauthorized acquisition and use of financial information belonging to hundreds of people. The federal case connects Purgariu to an operation that requested more than $220,000 from more than 300 EBT accounts. The investigation also demonstrates how identity information and payment-card data can be exploited together to access money without physically possessing a victim's original card.
Purgariu remains a fugitive while the federal case is pending. His charges have not been resolved through a completed federal trial, and the arrest warrant allows authorities to take him into custody if he is located. The FBI continues to make his photographs, aliases, physical description, and wanted poster publicly available to assist with that search.
The Impact on Benefits Recipients
Financial fraud involving EBT cards can have an immediate effect on victims because the stolen money may represent benefits intended for essential expenses. A victim who discovers an account has been emptied may have been relying on those funds for groceries or other basic household needs. Unlike some conventional financial fraud cases, the victims may have limited resources available to absorb the loss while the unauthorized transactions are investigated.
The scale of this operation meant hundreds of recipients were potentially affected. More than 300 accounts were involved in requests for over $220,000 in disbursements, making the investigation significantly larger than a single compromised card or ATM. Each affected account represented an individual or household whose government benefits had been targeted.
The case also highlights the continuing threat posed by payment-card skimming technology. Devices have become small enough to conceal inside legitimate equipment, while miniature cameras can capture information without attracting attention. Criminal networks can then combine the stolen data to access accounts at a later time and in another location.
Purgariu Remains Wanted
Bogdan Adrian Purgariu remains wanted by the FBI on federal charges of bank fraud and aggravated identity theft. His federal arrest warrant has been outstanding since April 19, 2023, and the FBI states that he was last seen in Southern California. He remains listed among the bureau's Most Wanted white-collar crime fugitives as authorities continue seeking information that could lead to his location.
Anyone with information concerning Purgariu should contact the FBI or another appropriate law-enforcement agency directly. Individuals outside the United States can contact the nearest American Embassy or Consulate. Members of the public should not attempt to confront, follow, detain, or apprehend a wanted individual.
Sources
FBI — Bogdan Adrian Purgariu Official Wanted Profile
FBI — Official Report on the EBT Skimming Fugitive Investigation
