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ATM Skimming Scheme in Southern New England Exposed
A Turkish national, Ahmet Cilek, 43, has been sentenced to 62 months in federal prison for his role in an ATM skimming scheme that affected 11 banks and one credit union in Connecticut, Massachusetts, and Rhode Island.
Cilek, who last resided in Levittown, N.Y., was sentenced by United States District Judge Janet Bond Arterton in New Haven on February 15, 2013, after pleading guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit bank fraud and one count of aggravated identity theft.
Between February 2011 and July 2011, Cilek, Mehmet Aydin, Gabriella Graham, and others conspired to install ‘skimming’ devices on automated teller machines (ATMs) at various financial institutions. The devices were able to capture the information encoded on the magnetic strips of bank cards used by ATM customers.
The co-conspirators also placed devices on the ATMs that contained hidden pinhole cameras, which recorded the personal identification numbers that bank customers keyed into the ATMs to gain access to their accounts. The stolen information was used to create counterfeit bank cards that allowed them to withdraw funds from the customers’ accounts.
Approximately 500 bank accounts were victimized, resulting in financial losses of approximately $336,057.64 for the affected institutions. As part of his sentence, Cilek was ordered to make full restitution, jointly and severally with his co-defendants.
Cilek has been detained since his arrest in Darien on June 20, 2011. Aydin and Graham also pleaded guilty and have been sentenced to 59 months and 45 months of imprisonment, respectively.
The investigation was conducted by the Connecticut Financial Crimes Task Force, which includes members of the United States Secret Service, United States Postal Inspection Service, United States Department of State, Bureau of Diplomatic Security, Internal Revenue Service – Criminal Investigation, Connecticut State Police, and the Greenwich, Hartford, Stamford, Shelton, and Stratford Police Departments.
Acting U.S. Attorney Deirdre M. Daly recognized the efforts of the Greenwich Police Department, Darien Police Department, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Service’s Office of Fraud Detection and National Security, and U.S. Secret Service in Boston and Providence for their assistance in the investigation and prosecution of this matter.
This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Douglas P. Morabito.
Mandatory Facts:
- Defendant/Respondent: Ahmet Cilek
- Criminal Charges: Conspiracy to Commit Bank Fraud and Aggravated Identity Theft
- City and State: New Haven, Connecticut
- Exact Date: February 15, 2013 (sentencing date)
- Sentence or Outcome: 62 months in federal prison
- Dollar Amounts: $336,057.64 (financial losses)
Key Facts
- State: Connecticut
- Category: Fraud & Financial Crimes
- Source: DOJ Press Release â†â€â€
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