FRAUD | 

Romanian woman admits using stolen credit card after days of running up bills in hotel

A search of a vehicle allegedly connected with the pair uncovered stolen documentation as well as other credit cards and a card reader

Yesterday at 15:43

A Romanian woman admitted defrauding the Rosspark Hotel by using a stolen credit card to pay for the bill.

In addition to allegedly defrauding the Co. Antrim hotel, 34-year-old Iulea Iliescu also admitted having a plethora of items in order to commit fraud including credit cards, card readers, mobile phones, sims cards, a laptop, notebooks containing third party details and third party correspondence.

Standing in the dock of Antrim Crown Court Ilescu, with an Hydebank women’s prison, entered guilty pleas to each of the six charges against her including one charge of having items in connection with a cheat or fraud and five counts of fraud by false representation, all alleged committed between 9 January and 31 March this year.

The fraudster’s husband had initially been charged alongside her but police are still hunting for 50-year-old Selvis Sali after he failed to attend court and a bench warrant was issued for his arrest

Previous courts heard how Sali and Iliescu had stayed for several days in the hotel and ran up bills for food and room service before they allegedly tried to pay for it with a fraudulent credit card.

A search of a vehicle allegedly connected with the pair uncovered stolen documentation as well as other credit cards and a card reader.

Defence counsel Stephen Law said Ilescu was eager to be sentenced because having spent almost nine months in custody, she actively wants to be deported back to Romania as soon as possible.

Remanding Ilescu back into custody, Judge Roseanne McCormick KC said she would “endeavour to pass sentence on Thursday.”