PROVIDENCE, R.I. – Moises Morales Cano, 32, of Astoria, N.Y., was sentenced today to 24 months in federal prison for his participation in a conspiracy to manipulate ATMs in order to steal personal identifying information belonging to bank customers. The information was used to create fraudulent debit cards.
At sentencing, U.S. District Court Judge John J. McConnell, Jr., also ordered Cano to serve 5 years supervised release upon completion of his prison term and to pay restitution in the amount of $709,597.50.
Cano pleaded guilty on May 3, 2016, to bank fraud and aggravated identity theft charges. Cano’s sentence is announced by United States Attorney Peter F. Neronha; Brian Deck, Resident Agent in Charge of the Providence Office of the U.S. Secret Service; and Warwick Police Chief Colonel Stephen M. McCartney.
At the time of his guilty plea, Cano admitted to the court that between January 1 and April 4, 2015, he participated in a scheme to attach skimming devices on ATMs at banks in several communities in Rhode Island and Connecticut. Approximately 1,329 individuals had their debit cards compromised resulting in a loss of approximately $709,597.50.
An ATM skimming device is technology that directly attaches to an ATM in order to intercept unknowing customers’ debit card information from the magnetic strip on ATM cards. The stolen information and PINs are downloaded and re-encoded onto counterfeit debit cards. The counterfeit debit cards are used to make fraudulent transactions from the accounts of unknowing victims.
Cano has been detained in federal custody since his arrest on September 9, 2015.
The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Lee H. Vilker.
The matter was investigated by the United States Attorney’s Office, U.S. Secret Service and the Warwick Police Department, with the assistance of the Smithfield, East Providence, Cranston, and Johnston Police Departments.