Criminal Alien Of The Week Report 03-17-21 By David Cross
Lars Larson Show: Criminal Alien of the Week Report
March 17, 2021
Lars:
It has been an interesting third full week in the month of March 2021 when it comes to criminal aliens (illegal aliens) here in the Pacific Northwest states of Oregon, Washington and Idaho.
This week we have a report for your radio listeners on two criminal illegal aliens who have been convicted and sentenced in federal court for bank fraud and aggravated identity theft in the state of Oregon.
Some back ground information, the “Criminal Alien of the Week Report” is always looking for U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) immigration enforcement stories; U.S. Department of Homeland Security, Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Public Affairs Specialist Jonathan Moor sent this week’s report the following news release on Wednesday, March 10, 2021:
“HSI Portland arrest lands Romanian card skimmer 4 years prison
PORTLAND, Ore. – Ciprian Simion, 35, of Romania, received a 48-month federal prison sentence today because of a Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Portland probe into his role in a credit card skimming scheme.
Simion is an experienced credit card skimmer, who was previously arrested in New York City in April 2018 for using fake ATM cards and pins to withdraw cash. Simion consented to a search of his hotel room, where officers found nearly 100 forged debit cards and three forgery devices. He was later indicted by a New York grand jury on more than 200 counts related to his fraud activity. The New York court issued a warrant for his arrest in August 2018. At some point after being charged in New York, Simion relocated to Oregon, where he stole at least 354 account numbers.
“Not learning his lesson in New York, Mr. Simion tried his exploits in Portland where he quickly found out that Portland Police and Homeland Security Investigations were ready to shut down his scheme to defraud the hard-working people of Portland. HSI and its partners will continue to pursue fraudsters who skim banking information from unsuspecting victims,” said Special Agent in Charge Robert Hammer, who oversees HSI operations in the Pacific Northwest.
Simion’s sentence also includes five years’ supervised release and an order to pay more than $27,000 in restitution, according to Acting U.S. Attorney Scott Erik Asphaug.
His precise movements in the months leading to his arrest in Oregon are unknown. Around March 2019, Simion and his accomplice Gabriel Tigmarau, 51, also of Romania, installed a credit card skimmer on a Rivermark Community Credit Union ATM in Newberg, Oregon. Simion and Tigmarau later removed the device to obtain stolen account information and pins, damaging the ATM in the process. Around the same time, the pair installed skimming devices on several other area ATMs. Simion and Tigmarau used the stolen account information to produce counterfeit credit and debit cards and withdraw cash from local ATMs.
Officers from the Portland Police Bureau arrested Simion and Tigmarau in April 2019, after they were caught tampering with an IBEW Credit Union ATM on SE Washington Street in Portland. Officers seized several counterfeit bank cards and a skimming device from the pair. A federal grand jury in Portland returned an eleven-count indictment charging the pair with conspiracy to commit bank fraud, counterfeit access device fraud, illegal possession of device-making equipment, bank fraud, and aggravated identity theft. Simion pleaded guilty to one count each of bank fraud and aggravated identity theft. This case was prosecuted by Quinn P. Harrington, Assistant U.S. Attorney for the District of Oregon. Simon’s New York state charges are still pending.
In November 2020, Tigmarau pleaded guilty to the same charges. He was sentenced Feb. 17, 2021 to 42 months in federal prison and five years’ supervised release.
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Seeking information on the immigration status of Gabriel Tigmarau and Simion Ciprian, the “Criminal Alien of the Week Report” on Friday, March 12, 2021 contacted via e-mail U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) Northwest Regional Communications Director (RCD) Tanya Roman.
On Tuesday, March 16, 2021 ICE Northwest Regional Communications Director Roman sent via e-mail the following statement on Gabriel Tigmarau and Simion Ciprian:
“Gabriel Tigmarau and Simion Ciprian are citizens of Romania and in the United States illegally. U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) encountered both men April 27, 2019, at the Multnomah County Jail where they were being held on local charges and lodged immigration detainers with the jail.
On Feb. 27 and March 10, 2021, respectively, Tigmarau and Ciprian were convicted in federal court of bank fraud and aggravated identity theft. Both men are currently being held at the Sheridan Federal Correctional Institution.” – Tanya Roman, ICE Northwest Region Communications Director.
When Gabriel Tigmarau (Register Number: 81390-065) and Ciprian Simion (Register Number: 81451-065) complete sentences in the U.S. Federal Bureau of Prisons (BOP) Sheridan FCI located in Sheridan, Oregon, they will likely face removal from the country.
Lars, the third full week in the month of March 2021 and another criminal alien report for Lars Larson Show KXL FM 101.1 Pacific Northwest radio listeners.
David Olen Cross
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