Romanian national sentenced for defrauding hundreds of banking customers

PROVIDENCE, R.I. — An illegally present Romanian national described in court documents as an “undeterred serial scammer” has been sentenced to nearly three years in federal prison and will face deportation proceedings after a joint U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement investigation found he had stolen and used the personal banking information of hundreds of victims.

Mario Demarco, aka Marius Lupu aka David Adamec, 30, pleaded guilty in January to a charge of conspiracy to commit bank fraud. He was sentenced June 3 to 33 months in federal prison followed by two years of supervised release. Additionally, the court ordered Demarco to pay restitution totaling $16,567.06.

ICE Homeland Security Investigations has lodged an immigration detainer and he will face removal proceedings after he has completed his criminal sentence.

Court documents show that beginning in October 2022, Demarco traveled up and down the Northeast and Mid-Atlantic installing skimming devices on ATMs. These devices intercepted hundreds of customers’ debit card and banking information, which Demarco used to create fraudulent debit cards. The bogus cards were then used to make unauthorized cash withdrawals, attempted withdrawals and purchases.

Throughout the course of the conspiracy, Demarco installed skimming devices on at least 10 ATMs and compromised at least 952 cards. Demarco owes restitution to 15 different banks.

ICE HSI Providence led the investigation with assistance from the Warwick Police Department, the Cranston Police Department, the East Greenwich Police Department, North Kingstown Police Department, the East Providence Police Department, the Boston Police Department, the New York City Police Department, and the Stratford Police Department in Connecticut.