BUFFALO, N.Y. --U.S. Attorney William J. Hochul, Jr. announced today that Petar Petrov, 41, of Mississauga, Ontario, and Evgeniy Bandarmaliev, 50, of Toronto, Ontario, were arrested and charged by criminal complaint with conspiracy to commit access device fraud and use of counterfeit access devices. The charges carry a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison, a $250,000 fine, or both.
Assistant U.S. Attorney John E. Rogowski, who is handling the case, stated that according to the complaint, on Sept. 2, 2013, Petrov attempted to enter the United States at the Lewiston Queenston Bridge. During an inspection, law enforcement officers found 10 counterfeit access devices.
After consultation with Canadian law enforcement, Special Agents with Homeland Security learned that Petrov and his associate, Bandarmaliev, were under investigation by Canadian authorities for placing illegal skimming devices on ATM machines in Canada. The machines captured account information, including PIN numbers, from ATM customers. Agents then obtained numerous security photographs from banks in the United States, including several in the Buffalo area, which depicted Pertov and Bandarmaliev using counterfeit access devices with the information from the Canadian accounts to withdraw cash. The complaint alleges that Pertov and Bandarmaliev obtained over $35,000 from this illegal activity between July 30, 2013 and Sept. 2, 2013.
The complaint is the result of an investigation on the part of Special Agents of Immigration and Customs Enforcement, Homeland Security Investigations, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge James C. Spero.
The fact that a defendant has been charged with a crime is merely an accusation and the defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty.
Source: U.S. Department of Justice, Office of the United States Attorneys
