The Indictment alleged that in or about November, 2017, to on or about March 27, 2018, in the Eastern District of Oklahoma and elsewhere, the defendant knowingly and willfully conspired with others known and unknown to the Grand Jury, to transmit or cause to be transmitted by means of a wire communication, in interstate commerce, writings, signs, signals, pictures, and sounds in order to obtain money by means of false and fraudulent pretenses, representations, and promises. The conspiracy involved the use of credit card “skimming devices” placed on gas pumps by members of the conspiracy to steal credit card information, create credit cards with the information and then use those cards to receive cash at ATM’s at the Winstar and border casinos located in Thackerville, Oklahoma.
“The use of skimming devices to steal credit card information is not a new trend, but the devices used today are more difficult to detect. There are precautions we should all take to protect our credit and bank card information from thieves using skimming devices. For example, before using a gas pump, make sure the panel is closed and doesn’t show signs of tampering. Many pumps now have a security seal. If the seal is broken, don’t use that pump,” United States Attorney Brian J. Kuester said. “Awareness that thieves are using this technology and exercising caution before using your credit card at the pump or at ATM’s are important to help us avoid being victims of this type of criminal scheme.”
The U.S. Federal Trade Commission has additional information about this and other schemes to defraud consumers. This can be found at https://www.consumer.ftc.gov/blog
The Honorable Ronald A. White, U.S. District Judge in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Oklahoma, in Muskogee, presided over the hearing. Assistant United States Attorney Shannon Henson represented the United States.
-- Eastern District of Oklahoma