A Romanian immigrant has been convicted in connection with a series of credit card fraud and skimming incidents in Fond du Lac. As part of a plea agreement, 35 year old Catalin A. Capanu was found guilty of three counts of wire fraud and three counts of theft from a financial institution. He also pleaded no contest to battery by a prisoner. The charges carry a maximum penalty of more than 20 years in prison and 20 years of extended supervision. As part of the agreement the remaining counts and potential charges in Dane and Brown counties were dismissed and read into the court record. Judge Robert Wirtz revoked bail and ordered a pre-sentence investigation. A sentencing hearing is scheduled for July 9. Capanu and 26 year old Preda Mihai Alexandra were arrested last summer after a Fond du Lac resident called police about suspicious behavior at a Marine Credit Union ATM. Investigators believe the men are part of a group of about 30 people involved in a Romanian crime ring traveling throughout the United States stealing credit and debit information by using skimming devices.
