Crime & Safety
Man Sentenced For Installing ATM Skimmers Across NJ: US Attorney
The Romania native must pay back more than $7 million as part of his sentence for targeting banks across New Jersey including in Cranford.
CRANFORD, NJ — A Romania native was sentenced Tuesday to 57 months in prison for his role in a large-scale, long running "ATM Skimming" scheme where he stole bank account information from thousands of customers including in Cranford, U.S. Attorney Paul J. Fishman announced.
Robert Mate, a/k/a “Chioru,” a/k/a “Marcel Varga,” 31, previously pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge William J. Martini in Newark federal court to Count One of an indictment charging him conspiracy to commit bank fraud.
Mate admitted on April 29 in court to using counterfeit ATM cards at a Wells Fargo in Cranford to make unauthorized withdrawals of cash from stolen bank accounts on or about July 1, 2012, according to questions asked in open court.
Find out what's happening in Cranfordfor free with the latest updates from Patch.
Mate also confirmed removing a “skimming” device and pinhole camera panel from that Citibank ATM in Cedar Grove on or about Nov. 22, 2012, according to questions asked in open court.
In addition to the prison term, Judge Martini sentenced Mate to five years of supervised release and ordered him to pay restitution of $7,397,270.
Find out what's happening in Cranfordfor free with the latest updates from Patch.
(Image via Shutterstock)
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