A 21-year-old New York woman pleaded guilty Dec. 19 to her role in an ATM-skimming scheme that affected 11 banks and credit unions across southern New England.
Gabriella Graham, who pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit bank fraud, was part of a gang that attached card skimmers at ATMs in Connecticut, Rhode Island and Massachusetts, according to prosecutors.
Among the institutions hit by the skimming was American Eagle Federal Credit Union, where at least 40 cardholders had their information stolen and used to create counterfeit cards later used to withdraw cash at ATMs.
As a result of this scheme, more than 250 accounts were victimized, and financial institutions have sustained losses of approximately $336,000.
Graham helped produce counterfeit ATM cards, wrote PINs of the backs of the cards and, on occasion, used the cards to make unauthorized withdrawals from ATMs, according to authorities. She also served as a lookout while other suspects installed and removed the skimming devices and made unauthorized withdrawals from accounts.
Graham is scheduled to be sentenced March 8.
