Alameda County prosecutors have charged three people with multiple felonies, alleging they cloned Electronic Benefit Transfer Cards in a sophisticated scheme to withdraw thousands of dollars from at least 10 victims.
In a statement, the Alameda County District Attorney’s Office said 34-year-old Mate Catalin, 42-year-old Dennis Ionescu and 29-year-old Maria Tudor all were charged with one count of fraudulent possession of personal information; one count of grand theft; and one count of theft by fraudulent access card.
All of the charges are felonies.
Authorities said all three were arraigned Monday. Jail records in Alameda County did not list them in custody Tuesday.
According to the agency, the complaint alleges the three worked in a way that “indicates planning, sophistication or professionalism.”
It also involved EBT access cards and access card information that had been “altered, obtained and retained” and the suspects knew the cards were “forged, expired or revoked,” authorities said.
The EBT system is used for public assistance benefits.
Prosecutors added that the net value of the products the three are alleged to have obtained was more than $950 over a six-month period.
Authorites said the charges came after a joint investigation by Fremont police and federal law enforcement started after the suspects were seen on Jan. 2 using the cloned cards to withdraw cash from several ATM machines in Fremont.
