Romanian Gang Jailed for Over 13 Years for £40,000 Pensioner Scam

Three members of a Romanian fraud gang have been sentenced to a combined total of over 13 years in prison for a crime spree that netted more than £40,000 by targeting unsuspecting pensioners with a sophisticated cash machine scam. Ionut Matei, 40, Vasile Ciubotaru, 45, and Ramonel Mandache, 51, carried out their scheme across Britain for nearly two years.

The fraudsters' method involved one member observing a victim enter their PIN at a cash machine. As the customer completed their transaction, an accomplice would deliberately drop banknotes on the floor behind the victim. While the pensioner was distracted by the dropped money, another gang member would swiftly swap their bank card for a fake one. The victims, often in their 70s and 80s, would leave the bank unaware their card had been exchanged.

With the stolen cards and PINs, the gang proceeded to make cash withdrawals and purchases, often in large sums. One victim lost a significant £11,100 over a period of almost two weeks before realizing they had been scammed. The gang targeted customers at Halifax and Lloyds Bank branches.

The criminal activities took place across Cheshire, Staffordshire, Nottinghamshire, Greater Manchester, South Yorkshire, and Kent between October 2024 and August 2026. The operation, known as Operation Rages, was initiated by Cheshire Police and uncovered a nationwide theft and fraud network. Investigators determined that the Romanian nationals had traveled extensively, specifically targeting vulnerable individuals at cash machines within bank branches.

During the investigation, it was also revealed that the gang had used forged driving licenses to obtain cars, an attempt to conceal their identities and movements. Following extensive CCTV analysis, officers apprehended the three men in Portsmouth on August 18.

All three defendants declined to answer police questions and later pleaded guilty to conspiracy to steal and conspiracy to commit fraud by false representation. At Liverpool Crown Court, Matei received a sentence of five years and six months, which also accounted for an offense related to entering the UK in breach of a deportation order. Ciubotaru was sentenced to four years and eight months imprisonment, and Mandache received a three-year sentence.

Detective Sergeant Stephanie Bland, the senior investigating officer for Operation Rages, stated that the gang not only inflicted significant financial losses but also had a lasting negative impact on the victims' confidence and well-being. She emphasized that this was a highly organized criminal enterprise that preyed on the elderly and vulnerable. Bland commended the multi-force cooperation in the investigation, highlighting the commitment to bringing offenders to justice and reassuring the public. She concluded by stating the force's determination to make Cheshire an inhospitable environment for criminals.