A MOLDOVAN national has been sentenced to five years in prison after the discovery of a workshop at his house where a major ATM card skimming operation was being organised to satisfy the demands of global customers. Vitalli Pascari, 33, with an address at River Road, Rhebogue pleaded guilty to eight offences contrary to the Theft and Fraud Offences Act dating back to February 25 last year.
The matters heard before Judge Carroll Moran related to seven counts of Pascari being found in the possession of false instruments, namely bank, visa and gift cards that had been re-encoded with the details of other people’s accounts.
During evidence given at Court from Detective Garda Brenadan Stokes, he said that the Moldovan national was supplying criminal gangs in Europe and US with skimming devices that would register and store data from unsuspecting ATM users.
It was also heard that the services of Pascari were advertised on the internet and he had attracted clients from Italy and France.
Gardai were alerted to the home-made work shop based in the four-bedroomed house in Rhebogue after Customs intercepted a DHL package destined for Pascari that was incorrectly labelled with the description as “anti skimming devices”.
Searches of Pascari’s home revealed over 150 plastic cards capable of storing information, €4,000 and almost €6,000 in cash as well as ATM parts that were used to store magnetic reading strips.
At the sentencing hearing, the accused also pleaded guilty in relation to having skimming devices, component skimming parts and other ancillary items associated with the enterprise.
Pascari, using the services of a Russian interpreter pleaded guilty to knowingly having these items, capable of designing or being used in the making of false instruments.
John O’Sullivan, prosecuting counsel for the State said that the accused man was also using gift cards from well known department stores as they too had magnetic strips that could store bank card information.
Pin numbers were also found attached to some of the cards as well as bank statements and a USB mini hard drive with magnetic strip information and 13 video images of users and their pin numbers.
In November 2010, Pascari had in his possession parts for the new AIB ATM machine with claims it could not be tampered with.
The father of two was to supply an Italian customer with the new parts that would have the strip reading devices built in. That in turn would be returned to Pascari by the gang after the information was obtained. Pascari would then make up the fraudulent cards and receive payment for his services.
The accused man has been in custody for the last 11 months and Defence Counsel, Mark Nicholas told the court that his client has been on remand on these charges only since February 25 of last year.
John O’Sullivan said that the accused was “self taught” and that his actions had the ability to go to the heart of the banking system that was used daily by the mass public.
He added: “this was an aggravating feature and matter of serious gravity”.
Judge Carroll Moran said: “this was a very sophisticated and intelligent enterprise.
Pascari, the married father of two was sentenced this Tuesday to five years in prison.
