ATM fraudster sentenced to 5 years

A sophisticated workshop set up in a small house in Limerick to make skimming devices undermined the credit card banking system universally used in the developed world, a judge said yesterday.

Vitalli Pascari, aged 34 and a native of Moldova, pleaded guilty at Limerick Circuit Court to having control of a machine to make skimming devices which could be placed on ATMs to extract credit card details.

The court heard Pascari had built up a customer base in the US, Europe, South Africa and Hong King, selling the skimmers online.

Gardaí uncovered the operation after customs officers became suspicious of a parcel addressed to Pascari’s home at River Road, Rhebogue and labelled ‘anti-skimming devices.’

When gardaí raided the house on Feb 25, 2011, they discovered the box bedroom had been turned into an elaborate workshop with a range of equipment. Pascari admitted he had been making the skimming devices for export for about a year.

Judge Carroll Moran said it was not possible to calculate the loss he had caused to credit card companies, their customers or to businesses.

Pascari, he said, showed an amazing understanding of mathematics. “He clearly is a brilliant man and I have to compliment him on that. But it is a pity he used his brilliance for crime rather than legal business.”

He sentenced Pascari to five years and ordered the forfeiture of €4,100 and $5,750 (€4,393) found in Pascari’s house.