NEWARK, N.J. - A Filipino national was sentenced today to 63 months in prison for running an international cashing operation that monetized stolen credit and debit card information obtained through computer hacking and ATM skimming operations, Acting U.S. Attorney William E. Fitzpatrick announced.
Angelo Virtucio, a/k/a “ZaiR," a/k/a “ZaiRe," a/k/a “Omega," a/k/a “Omega10," 31, of Quezon City, Philippines, previously pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Susan D. Wigenton to an information charging him with one count of conspiracy to commit bank fraud. Virtucio was arrested in the Southern District of Florida on Jan. 29, 2015 and was extradited to the District of New Jersey on Feb. 11, 2015. Judge Wigenton imposed the sentence today in Newark federal court.
According to documents filed in this case and statements made in court:
Virtucio monetized millions of dollars from stolen credit and debit card data using a global network of “cashers" to enter into unauthorized financial transactions using the accounts related to the stolen information. The stolen credit card data was primarily obtained through computer hacking; the stolen debit card data was mostly obtained through ATM skimming operations. After purchasing the stolen data from other cybercriminals, Virtucio and his conspirators encoded it onto counterfeit credit and debit cards. The cashers used the counterfeit cards to make unauthorized ATM withdrawals and purchases at physical retail locations.
In addition to the prison term, Judge Wigenton sentenced Virtucio to two years of supervised release.
Acting U.S. Attorney Fitzpatrick credited the special agents of the U.S. Secret Service, Newark Division, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Mark McKevitt, with the investigation leading to today’s sentencing.
The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney L. Judson Welle, coordinator of the Computer Hacking and Intellectual Property Section of the Economic Crimes Unit.
Defense counsel: Kathleen Theurer Esq. and A. Paul Condon Esq., Jersey City, New Jersey
Source: U.S. Department of Justice, Office of the United States Attorneys
