California Man Charged In ATM Skimmer Investigation: Naugatuck Police

NAUGATUCK, CT — A California man was recently charged in connection to an investigation into ATM skimmers found at a Naugatuck bank last year, according to police.

In a news release, police said the department began receiving complaints in May about fraudulent activity on debit cards.

After further investigation, ATM skimmers used to collect card information that can then be replicated were found to have been installed on drive-thru ATMs at a local bank, according to police.

According to police, the fraudulent activity from the ATM skimmers resulted in over $100,000 being stolen from customer accounts.

Officers later identified several vehicles believed to have been involved in the scam, evidence from which were then analyzed at a state forensic laboratory, police said.

After an extensive investigation involving multiple search warrants, video footage review, working with multiple law enforcement agencies and DNA evidence, officers identified Ionut Iamandita, 22, of LaHabra, Calif., as a suspect, according to police.

Police noted Iamandita is one of several suspects believed to have been involved in the ATM skimmer incidents.

Officers also learned Iamandita is currently incarcerated at the Licking County Justice Center in Newark, Ohio, where he is serving an approximately six-year sentence for similar crimes, police said.

An arrest warrant was granted for Iamandita charging him with first-degree larceny, second-degree identity theft, payment card forgery, illegal reproduction of a payment card and conspiracy to commit.

Police said they are currently working with the Connecticut Judicial Branch and Ohio authorities to serve the arrest warrant.

Police also thanked Ion Bank's Corporate Security Division and Newark Division of Police for their help in the investigation.