Romanians crack Internet crime rings

More than 62 suspects were pulled in and 23 were arrested and charged with defrauding 120 foreigners of more than euro100,000 (US$128,000).

The FBI and the US Secret Service assisted the investigation into a pishing operation which started in 2004.

Romanian coppers claim that the suspects imitated the sites of well-known Internet-based companies and obtained the e-mail addresses of their customers. Later they use the data to create identities and offer nonexistent items for sale.

They would then contact bidders and tell them to pay using online money transfer services and collect the cash for non-existant goods.

If found guilty the suspects could get 15 years porridge. Pitesti was famous for a prison that operated in the 1950's where the inmates were encouraged to use violence on each other. The scheme, which was supposed to brainwash the inmates by removing their ties to the outside world, was abandoned after a few years.

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