The Smoking Gun reports that Florin Necula was arrested on January 21 for allegedly placing card readers on ATMs in an attempt to skim information from the magnetic strips. Necula was apprehended with three co-conspirators and while in Secret Service custody, decided to swallow the flash drive they had confiscated from him.
According to a February 25 search warrant affidavit:
"After being arrested, Necula was taken to the USSS Offices to be questioned and processed. While there, he grabbed Subject Flash Drive 2, which had been on his person at the time of his arrest, and swallowed."
Already in quite a bit of trouble for the ATM scam, Necula now faces charges for obstruction of justice. However, his story doesn't end there. Necula didn't pass the USB drive in a timely manner. In fact, four days passed and there was no flash drive to speak of. Doctors decided that leaving the flash drive in there was not an option and surgery was scheduled.
TSG cites a source that says Necula eventually agreed to allow doctors at New York Downtown Hospital to remove the item and he is being held without bail at Queens jail.
