Nine Romanian citizens were sentenced in Great Britain to cumulative sentences of over 25 years in prison for stealing 700,000 pounds from ATMs, in over 3,300 fraudulent transactions carried out at 51 ATMs in England and Scotland. The final two sentences were handed down on Friday, March 13, 2026, at Luton Crown Court, and all nine convicted face deportation after serving their sentences, according to British police.
How the network works
The group was run from Romania, but the operational base was in Luton, England. Its members used specially programmed electronic tags, including those purchased from China, to fool ATM security systems and withdraw money without the transactions being properly recorded.
The investigation was coordinated by Rocu’s Eastern Region Special Operations Unit (ERSOU), the specialist organized crime unit covering the East of England. Investigators worked with NCR Atleos, the company that runs much of the UK’s ATM network, to trace how security was being circumvented.
Arrests at the airport and raids in Bacau
The first wave of arrests came in December 2024. Five suspects were apprehended, some caught at Luton Airport as they were trying to leave the country, and others during raids in Luton and Norfolk County.
In July 2025, the investigation moved to Romania. ERSOU police officers worked together with the Romanian authorities and the European agencies Europol and Eurojust to search 18 addresses in Bacău county. A Lamborghini and a Porsche were seized during the raids. One of the properties was set up like a fortress, with the initials “FTP”, from “F*** The Police”, etched into the front gate and drawn on the bottom of the pool. Those arrested in Romania were extradited to Great Britain.
Who are the condemned?
Răzvan Verde31, received four years and four months, considered by investigators to be the leader of the group. Verde was in charge of recruiting new members and was directly involved in almost £300,000 of fraud according to Luton Today.
Alex Munteanu38, received four and a half years. Gabriel Red The 33-year-old, from Luton, was jailed for three-and-a-half years for his role as mastermind after images of targeted ATMs were found on his phone. Constantin Boghiu25, of Luton, and Marius Chifan34, also from Luton, got three years and three months each. Boghiu had made 35 trips to attack ATMs, with total thefts of 130,000 lire.
Alex Military25, of Watton (Thetford, Norfolk), was jailed for two years and five months for defrauding almost £100,000. Cristian Cimpoeșu28, received 18 months. The last two sentences, handed down on March 13, 2026, were for Ionut Pogar32 years, three years and one month, and Silviu Alistar32 years, two years and three months. All pleaded guilty to charges of conspiracy to defraud and conspiracy to commit money laundering.
What’s next: Deportation and recovery of money
All nine convicts face deportation at the end of their sentences, says Luton Today. In parallel, ERSOU financial investigators have started procedures to identify assets that can be used to recover the stolen sums.
Detective Inspector Dan Barker, the officer leading the investigation, said the group had operated “on an almost industrial scale” and that during the search investigators had discovered an ATM bought in China, a sign the network was preparing new equipment for future attacks.
Romanians using ATMs in the UK can report suspicious transactions to Action Fraud, the UK’s official fraud hotline, by calling 0300 123 2040 or visiting actionfraud.police.uk.
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