U.S. Department
of Justice
Press Release
Romanian Man Guilty of Card Skimming Conspiracy
For Immediate Release
U.S. Attorney's Office, Eastern District of Louisiana
NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA – DANIEL IULIAN TEUTOC (“TEUTOC”), also known as “Simon Mikula,” a citizen of Romania, pled guilty to conspiracy to commit wire fraud, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Sections 1343 and 1349, in connection with a scheme to use skimmers to steal credit card information, announced U.S. Attorney David I. Courcelle.
According to court documents, TEUTOC and his codefendant, Constantin CALIN, went to Walmart stores across the Eastern District of Louisiana, including Laplace, Slidell, Harvey, Boutte, Chalmette, and New Orleans. TEUTOC and CALIN captured card information at different points of sale, where card skimming devices had been previously installed by other members of the conspiracy. TEUTOC and CALIN used magnets to activate the card skimmers and send the card information electronically to TEUTOC and CALIN’s cell phones. After gaining possession of the customer’s credit, debit, and EBT card information, TEUTOC and CALIN sent the information to another coconspirator with the intent to allow members of the conspiracy to make fraudulent charges with the stolen card information. Under the terms of his plea agreement, TEUTOC agreed to pay over $11 million in restitution to the victims of the scheme.
At sentencing, TEUTOC faces up to 20 years imprisonment, up to a $250,000 fine, up to 3 years of supervised release, and a mandatory $100 special assessment fee. The Honorable Nannette Jolivette Brown set sentencing for June 4, 2026.
U.S. Attorney Courcelle praised the work of Homeland Security Investigations, United States Secret Service, New Orleans Police Department, St. Bernard Sheriff’s Office, and St. John the Baptist Parish Sheriff’s Office, in investigating this matter. Assistant United States Attorneys Nicholas Moses, Healthcare Fraud Coordinator; Paul J. Hubbell of the General Crimes Unit; and André Jones, lead OCDETF Narcotics Task Force Attorney, are in charge of the prosecution.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN).
Contact
Brittany Maique
Executive Assistant
U.S. Attorney's Office
Eastern District of Louisiana
Updated February 26, 2026
Topic
Operation Take Back America
Component