Detective Sergeant Eric Falkofsky spearheaded the investigation with other Warwick detectives.
Federal Grand Jury Indicts Two in Alleged ATM Skimming Scheme
More than 1,300 individuals' debit cards were allegedly compromised resulting in losses totaling more than $709,000.
PROVIDENCE, R.I. – A federal grand jury in Providence on Wednesday returned an indictment charging Moises Morales Cano, 31, of Astoria, NY, and Carlos Cisneros, 53, of Jackson Heights, NY, with conspiracy to commit bank fraud and aggravated identity theft, for their alleged roles in a scheme to manipulate bank ATM machines which resulted in the theft of personal information skimmed from debit cards belonging to more than 1,300 individuals and the loss of more than $709,000.
It is alleged in court documents that between January 1 and April 4, 2015, the two men conspired with one another to attach skimming devices on ATMs at banks in several communities in Rhode Island and in at least two communities in Connecticut. An ATM skimming device is a technology that directly attaches to an ATM in order to intercept unknowing customers' debit card information from the magnetic strip on customers' ATM cards. The customers' PINs are obtained through the attachment to the ATM of a custom fit plastic panel above the keypad, which houses a miniature remote camera that records the customers' fingers as they enter their PINs into the ATM. Later, the stolen debit card information and PINs are downloaded to a computer and re-encoded onto counterfeit debit cards with a magnetic encoder. The information obtained is later used to make fraudulent transactions from the accounts of unknowing victims.
It is alleged in the indictment, announced by United States Attorney Peter F. Neronha, Ted A. Arruda, Resident Agent in Charge of the Providence office of the U.S. Secret Service, and Warwick Police Chief Colonel Stephen M. McCartney, that a total of approximately 1,329 individuals had their debit cards compromised by ATM skimming devices installed by Cano and Cisneros, resulting in a total loss of approximately $709,597.50.
An indictment is merely an allegation and is not evidence of guilt. A defendant is entitled to a fair trial in which it will be the government's burden to prove guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.
Moises Morales Cano, who was arrested in Queens, NY, on September 9, 2014, on a federal criminal complaint charging him with conspiracy to commit bank fraud and aggravated identity theft, has been detained since his initial appearance in U.S. District Court in Providence before U.S. District Court Magistrate Judge Patricia A. Sullivan on September 18, 2015.
A federal arrest warrant has been issued for Carlos Cisneros, who is believed to have fled from the United States and is residing in Ecuador.
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Lee H. Vilker.
The matter was investigated by the United States Attorney's Office, the U.S. Secret Service and the Warwick Police Department, with the assistance of the Smithfield, East Providence, Cranston and Johnston Police Departments.
Contact:
Jim Martin (401) 709-5357
email: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
on Twitter @USAO_RI
Jim Martin
Public Information Officer
Public Outreach Specialist
U.S. Attorney's Office
District of Rhode Island
50 Kennedy Plaza, 8th floor
Providence, R.I. 02903
(401) 709-5357
Moises Morales Cano Carlos Cisneros
