Two Accused In LIRR Ticket Skimming Scheme Plead Guilty
NEW YORK (CBSNewYork/AP) -- According to prosecutors, two people have pleaded guilty to their involvement in a scheme to steal bank and credit card information from unsuspecting Long Island Rail Road customers.
Niculae Petre, 45, and Dorin Husa, 37, both of Queens, pleaded guilty Friday to one count of possessing forgery devices.
Nassau County District Attorney Kathleen Rice said the pair -- along with two other suspects, Valer Zaharia and Teodora Zaharia -- placed "skimming" devices and hidden cameras near ticket vending machines in Chappaqua, Sea Cliff, Bayside, Great Neck, Merillon Avenue and Greenvale stations.
Then they stole customers' PIN numbers and other financial information.
The Zaharias are awaiting trial and a fifth suspect is still being sought.
Prosecutors said all five are Romanian nationals. They estimate the scheme netted in excess of $70,000 from financial institutions.
Petre and Husa face up to a year in jail when they are sentenced on April 25.
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