Man Pleads Guilty to ATM Skimming Scheme

One of three people who orchestrated an "ATM skimming" scheme last year in which more than 250 bank accounts were compromised, leading to losses totaling more than $336,000, has reportedly pleaded guilty in federal court.

According to a US Department of Justice press release, Mehmet Aydin, 41, a citizen of Turkey last residing in Miller Place, N.Y., pleaded guilty April 12 in federal court in New Haven to one count of conspiracy to commit bank fraud and one count of aggravated identity theft stemming from his participation in the ATM skimming scheme, which was committed at 11 banks (including at least one in Greenwich) and one credit union in Fairfield County as well as other locations in southern New England. He reportedly faces up to 30 years in prison.

The release from David B. Fein, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, states Aydin conspired with Ahmet Cilek, Gabriella Graham and others to install “skimming” devices on automated teller machines which were used to capture the information encoded on the magnetic strips of bank cards used by ATM customers. In addition they installed pinhole cameras on the ATMs so as to capture customers' PINs. They then used the information to steal funds from victims' accounts.

Aydin is scheduled to be sentenced July 5. In addition to 30 years in prison he faces a fine of up to $1 million on the conspiracy charge, and a consecutive two-year term of imprisonment on the identity theft charge, according to the release.

Cilek and have pleaded guilty and await sentencing.