Nadia Pasici, 49, a citizen of Romania residing in Middle Village, New York, pleaded guilty this week before United States District Judge Vanessa L. Bryant in Hartford to one count of conspiracy to commit bank fraud. The charge stems from Pasici’s participation in an ATM skimming scheme.
According to court documents and statements made in court, Pasici and others conspired to install skimmers on ATMs and on card swipe access devices used by banks to control access to ATM lobby doors, at People’s United Bank locations in Connecticut. The co-conspirators then used this stolen information to create counterfeit bank cards that allowed them to withdraw funds from the customers’ accounts.
In March and April 2010, Pasici and a co-conspirator used a pin-capturing device at an ATM located at a branch of People’s United Bank in Cos Cob, Connecticut. Then, between April 19 and April 22, other conspirators, include Sabrina Matache, used stolen bank account information to conduct unauthorized ATM withdrawals from People’s United Bank ATMs in Stamford and Darien.
On April 22, 2010, Pasici, Matache and another alleged co-conspirator were arrested by members of the Connecticut Financial Crimes Task Force at a branch of People’s United Bank in Darien.
Judge Bryant has scheduled sentencing for June 24, 2011, at which time Pasici faces a maximum term of imprisonment of 30 years and a fine of up to $1 million.
Matache also has pleaded guilty and awaits sentencing.
Source: U.S. Attorney’s Office