A Romanian citizen, Daniel Iulian Teutoc, also known as Simon Mikula, has pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit wire fraud in a card skimming scheme targeting Walmart stores across the Eastern District of Louisiana. The announcement was made by U.S. Attorney David I. Courcelle.
Court documents state that Teutoc and his codefendant, Constantin Calin, visited multiple Walmart locations in areas including Laplace, Slidell, Harvey, Boutte, Chalmette, and New Orleans. They used magnets to activate previously installed card skimmers at various points of sale and transmitted stolen credit card information electronically to their cell phones. The pair then sent this data to another coconspirator with the intent that it be used for fraudulent charges.
Teutoc has agreed under his plea agreement to pay more than $11 million in restitution to victims of the scheme. He faces up to 20 years in prison, a fine of up to $250,000, up to three years of supervised release, and a mandatory $100 special assessment fee. Sentencing is scheduled for June 4, 2026 before Judge Nannette Jolivette Brown.
U.S. Attorney Courcelle commended 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 for their work on the case. Assistant United States Attorneys Nicholas Moses (Healthcare Fraud Coordinator), Paul J. Hubbell (General Crimes Unit), and André Jones (lead OCDETF Narcotics Task Force Attorney) are prosecuting.
“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,” according to officials involved in the operation.
“Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN).”
