In the Los Angeles Federal United States District Court, twelve people who are part of an organized criminal group who operate in the southern California area were indicted for their participation an ATM skimming conspiracy. They caused the loss of thousands of dollars for banks and customers. The federal criminal complaint charged them with conspiracy to commit bank fraud.
Prosecutors said the defendants obtained or manufactured skimming devices that were placed over ATM card readers so they could retrieve customer information from their debit cards. They would also install a small video camera to watch customers enter their personal identification numbers.
After they had obtained the customer information, they would replicate the data on blank bank cards. Since they had also captured the PIN numbers, they would take the new fraudulent bank cards and make cash cash withdrawals from ATM machines in Los Angeles, Orange County, and the San Fernando Valley.
After the investigation was completed, federal agents and local police executed arrest and search warrants in Los Angeles. Most of the defendants were located and arrested without incident and are expected to make their first appearance in federal court in the next few days. Three defendants remain at large and are considered fugitives.
In total, 6 federal search warrants were executed. After the arrest, police seized a large amount of cash and credit card skimming equipment. All the defendants are facing a statutory maximum penalty of 30 years in a federal prison.
If you have been arrested for a theft crime in Los Angeles or the San Fernando Valley, you will need to consult with an experienced criminal defense lawyer. At the Goldstein Law Office, we have a track record of success defending clients against any type of state or federal charges. Call our office for a free case review and to learn how we will aggressively defend you.