A money-skimming crime group that federal investigators say took in more than $1 million was centered in Kirkland, according to filings in the case.
The extent of the swindle was laid out by a federal Electronic Crimes Task Force Monday in Seattle.
Two defendants, Ismail Sali and Eugen Tirca were charged with the illegal possession of device-making equipment, or skimming equipment, in federal court. According to the charges, much of the illegal activity was conducted from Sali’s residence in the 13700 block of 90th Place Northeast, Kirkland.
Sali and Tirca are believed to be part of a crime group involving at least a half-dozen people, investigators added.
“The suspects arrested over the last few weeks account for more than $1 million in losses to banks and consumers,” said United States Attorney Jenny A. Durkan. “We believe that with this most recent arrest, we have located and dismantled the nerve center of one of the most prolific rings, which used illegal immigrants from Romania to commit the frauds.”
The recent investigations began with work by Kirkland Det. Donald Carroll, court documents related, who began discovering incidents involving Sali in 2010.
The crimes commonly use devices known as “skimmers” which are fitted to the fronts of ATM machines. The skimmers then record information from customer bank and credit cards. Besides the skimmers, tiny “pinhole” cameras are installed to capture customer PIN numbers. Used together, the information allows thieves to empty bank accounts.
As the investigations proceeded, numerous pieces of evidence were discovered, including vehicles, records of phony transactions and skimming equipment.
The vehicles involved were found to include a Jeep Cherokee, a black Mercedes SUV and a white Chevy van, all identified as being “associated with the known residence of Sali,” the charges add.
As the work continued, investigators found ongoing instances of fraud, ranging from Lower Queen Anne Hill in Seattle to Bellevue and Kirkland on the Eastside.
In March, for example, detectives found phony charges made at an Albertson’s store in Kirkland’s Juanita neighborhood and also at a U.S. Bank branch in Juanita.
In a June incident at the U.S. Bank Highlands branch in Bellevue, the detectives noted, the suspects made their skimming easier by using a handicapped-parking pass on the van’s rearview mirror to use one of two handicapped spaces at the front of the bank.
By June 20, detectives had the Kirkland 90th Place address under surveillance and watched Tirca and Sali drive away. They went to a U.S. Bank ATM in Kenmore, where six unauthorized cash withdrawals were made, along with 13 attempts, all using information that had been skimmed at the U.S. Bank Highlands branch two days earlier, the court filings continue.
Besides the cash withdrawals, the thieves also used the phony information to make fake gift cards, which then were used to buy items like groceries at Safeway stores, and even tried to pay for dump fees at a King County solid-waste transfer station in March with a VISA account that had been closed because of fraudulent activity.
In a footnote to the skimming investigations, Durkan herself has disclosed she was a skimming victim, with about $1,000 drained from her bank account over the summer.
The U.S. Attorney’s office has asked that both Sali and Tirca be held without bail, arguing there is a strong risk they would attempt to flee to Romania. If convicted, they could face up to 10 years in prison and a $250,000 fine.
