Gang imprisoned after using skimmed cards

December 12, 2013 8:18 AM
PHILIPSBURG--Canadian brothers Georges Ghossoub (21) and Johnny Ghossoub (27) along with Portuguese national Andre Castro Da Silva (21) were sentenced to 3 years imprisonment yesterday, for a widespread fraud with skimmed credit cards, and whitewashing or laundering of money acquired through criminal activity.
 
Canadian Christopher Alasmar (24) received a 4-year sentence, and Lebanese national Nabil Najm (25) was handed down a sentence of 30 months.
 
The process of skimming cards involves using machinery to copy the details of credit cards used by their owners for legitimate transactions. Those details are then copied onto a new card, which can be programmed with a PIN code. This then allows a third party to make a withdrawal, with the money being taken from the original card holder's account.
 
The gang had used ATM machines on the island to draw out large amounts of cash using skimmed credit cards. Money was withdrawn from cash machines belonging to RBC Royal Bank, Windward Islands Bank and Scotia Bank on multiple occasions.
 
By committing these offences, the men were the final link in a much larger chain of organised crime, starting with the copying of people's credit card details.
 
The men had travelled to St. Maarten on two separate occasions between April 26 and May 30. After their arrest, US $60,000 in cash as well as the fraudulent cards used in the transactions was found hidden in the rooms. Cash was also found in rental cars that were being used by the men.
 
Alasmar received a higher sentence than the other men because he has a previous conviction for similar offences. Najm received a lower sentence: it was proven that he only accompanied the other members of the group on the second trip to St. Maarten.
 
The judge, in reading out the verdict, mentioned that the group did not only cause serious financial damage, but has also undermined the trust that participants have in the financial transaction chain. He further focused on the stress caused to the owners of the accounts from which the money was taken.
 
Normally, in these cases, banks or credit card companies refund the money taken from the account, but the owners of the cards have had to deal with the stresses caused by the administrative process in getting their money refunded, as well as the insecurity of whether they would ever see their money again.

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