Manhattan D.A.’s Office and the NYC Department of Investigation Urge New Yorkers to Remain Vigilant Against Scams
Victims of Parking Scams Should Call 212-335-8900
Manhattan District Attorney Alvin L. Bragg, Jr., and Department of Investigation (DOI) Commissioner Nadia I. Shihata today announced the indictment of MIHAI THEODOR ENESCU, 39, for allegedly conducting a scheme to steal personal information from people paying for parking in New York City. The investigation between the D.A.’s Office and DOI found 64 QR code stickers on Manhattan parking meters, which led users to a fraudulent website not affiliated with “PARKNYC,” the official mobile app and platform approved by the city. The website asked the user to enter financial information, including credit card numbers, which ENESCU allegedly hoped to access.
The D.A.’s Office and DOI urge all New Yorkers to remain vigilant against this type of fraud, and encourage anyone who has encountered similar schemes to call 212-335-8900.
ENESCU is charged in a New York State Supreme Court indictment with five counts of Identity Theft in the Second Degree and six counts of Criminal Impersonation in the Second Degree. [1]
“New Yorkers should not have to worry that paying to park their car could end in identity theft,” said District Attorney Bragg. “This defendant allegedly went to extreme lengths in his attempts to steal personal information from New Yorkers, and I want to remind everyone that the city does not ask you to scan a QR code when parking. The unfortunate reality of modern technology is that routine tasks like parking a vehicle have become opportunities for scammers, and everyone must take extra precautions when entering their personal information online. We are here to help – anyone who believes they have been the victim of a scam or wants to report suspicious online activity should call us at 212-335-8900.”
DOI Commissioner Nadia I. Shihata said, “This defendant allegedly used the City’s Manhattan parking meters to scam unsuspecting motorists out of their financial information, using fraudulent QR Codes placed on meters directing individuals to a fake PARKNYC payment website. When the City Department of Transportation (DOT) learned of the scam, it immediately reported the matter to DOI, inspected all parking meters in Manhattan, and removed 64 fake QR Codes. Working with the Manhattan District Attorney’s Office, DOI used cyber investigative and digital forensic techniques to uncover the scheme charged today. This investigation is a prime example of how DOI’s partnership with prosecutors and City agencies gets results. I thank the Manhattan District Attorney’s Office and DOT for working with DOI to safeguard New Yorkers’ financial information from potential fraud.”
“Scammers who prey upon people who are simply trying to feed the meter must be held accountable,” said NYC Department of Transportation Commissioner Mike Flynn. “I congratulate the Department of Investigation and the Manhattan’s District Attorney’s Office for making an arrest in this case, and NYC DOT will continue to work with our partner agencies to crack down on this predatory behavior and alert the public when we see it.”
As alleged in court documents and statements made on the record, the City was first alerted to the alleged scheme when a victim scanned one of the QR code stickers on a parking meter near 79 East 10th Street in June 2025. The sticker read “Web Pay. Scan to Pay”. The QR code led him to a website prominently displaying the official PARKNYC logo and featuring fields asking the user to enter their credit card number, expiration date, phone number, billing address, and license plate number.
The victim attempted to enter the information several times, only to encounter a continual buffer.
The victim then noticed that the QR Code was in fact a sticker that had been placed on top of the official PARKNYC sticker on the meter. The victim alerted his banks before they could suffer any financial loss.
After learning about this incident, the New York City Department of Transportation (“DOT”) conducted a canvass of parking meters throughout Manhattan and DOI opened an investigation into the matter.
The ongoing investigation eventually determined that ENESCU was connected to the website’s account.
ENESCU also allegedly purchased two packs of 4-inch by 6-inch shipping labels that could be used to create the QR code stickers that appeared on the parking meters.
The investigation into this matter remains ongoing.
Assistant D.A. Andrew Trueheart (Cyber Crimes Bureau) is handling the prosecution of this case under the supervision of Assistant D.A.s Adam Maltz (Deputy Chief of the Cyber Crimes Bureau), Virginia Nguyen (Deputy Chief of the Cyber Crimes Bureau), Jeremy Glickman (Senior Investigative Counsel and Supervising Attorney for HTAU), Judy Salwen (Deputy Chief of the Investigation Division), and Executive Assistant D.A. Jodie Kane (Chief of the Investigation Division). Cyber Crime Bureau’s Natalie Villa (Cyber Crime Analyst) and Karla Zavala Vilchez (Senior Cyber Crime Analyst) are providing invaluable assistance with the case.
D.A. Bragg thanked the DOI, particularly Deputy Inspector General Jordan Buff and Special Investigator Ari Wyner, and DOT for partnering in this investigation.
Defendant Information:
MIHAI THEODOR ENESCU
Brooklyn, NY
Charged:
- Identity theft in the Second Degree, a class E felony, five counts
- Criminal Impersonation in the Second Degree, a class A misdemeanor, six counts
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[1] The charges contained in the indictment are merely allegations and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty. All factual recitations are derived from documents filed in court and statements made on the record in court.