LAS VEGAS (KTNV) — A man who pleaded guilty to involvement in a multi-million dollar international counterfeit credit card fraud and money laundering conspiracy was sentenced to 97 months in federal prison.
This sentence will also be followed by three years of supervised release, according to the United States Attorney Nicholas A. Trutanich for the District of Nevada.
Bruno Macedo Correia, 29, pleaded guilty in July 2019, to conspiracy to commit fraud and related activity in connection with access devices and conspiracy to commit money laundering.
In addition to imprisonment, United States District Judge Jennifer A. Dorsey ordered Correia to pay restitution of $2,288,180.97. The Court also imposed a $5,000,000 criminal forfeiture money judgment and ordered 196 items of property and U.S. currency forfeited.
Correia admitted he conspired with others to commit credit and debit card fraud from 2013 to 2017 by using “skimmers” placed on ATMs and Global Cash Advance machines to obtain stolen account information.
The group also obtained stolen credit card information through the use of malware and point of sale intrusions, according to the Department of Justice. Correia and others set up credit card forgery “laboratories” in residences and hotel rooms to manufacture counterfeit credit and debit cards.
Authorities say the team used the counterfeit credit and debit cards to obtain cash withdrawals from ATMs and GCA machines located in Nevada and elsewhere to purchase high-end merchandise.
Twenty-one individuals were charged in a 2017 indictment for their alleged roles in the conspiracy. Currently, 12 defendants have pleaded guilty or have been sentenced.
Co-defendants Fausto Teixeira Martins Neto and Felipe Augusto Vicale Martins are scheduled for a jury trial beginning in January 2020. The remaining seven indicted defendants are currently at large.
The FBI investigated the case, the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department, the Department of State’s Diplomatic Security Service, and the Henderson Police Department. Assistant United States Attorney Patrick Burns is prosecuting the case.
