Romanian Man Admits to Placing Card Skimmer at Clarksburg Grocery Store

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A Romanian man living illegally in the United States has admitted to placing credit card skimming devices at several retailers across north central West Virginia, including at a grocery store in Clarksburg. Andrei Daniel Fagaras, 36, pleaded guilty to an access device fraud charge as part of a conspiracy with another Romanian man, Madalin Olar, 31, to steal credit and debit card numbers and access bank accounts, resulting in around $250,000 in fraud.

Why it matters

Credit card skimming is a growing problem that can lead to significant financial losses for consumers and businesses. This case highlights the need for increased security measures at retail locations to protect against these types of fraud schemes, especially those targeting self-checkout registers which can be vulnerable.

The details

According to the U.S. Department of Justice, Fagaras admitted to placing nine credit card skimming devices at various retailers across West Virginia as part of a conspiracy with Olar. The two men targeted a self-checkout register at a Clarksburg grocery store, though the specific store was not named. Fagaras faces up to 15 years in prison for the access device fraud charge, while Olar's case is still pending.

• On February 13, 2026, the U.S. Department of Justice announced Fagaras' guilty plea.

What’s next

Olar's case related to the credit card skimming scheme is still pending.