Bulgarian National Sentenced for ATM Skimming

BOSTON – A Bulgarian national was sentenced yesterday in connection with a scheme to create counterfeit ATM cards and to withdraw money from the bank accounts of unsuspecting customers.

Anatoli Mitrev, 34, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Leo T. Sorokin to 19 months in prison and was ordered to pay $199,624 in restitution. On Aug. 16, 2021, Mitrev pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit access device fraud.

Mitrev and co-conspirator Georgi Kanev installed skimmers and cameras on two Martha’s Vineyard Savings Bank ATMs over a period of approximately four weeks in July and August 2013. The devices allowed the defendants to obtain magnetic strip information from ATM customers as well as obtain their PIN numbers. The information was then used to create counterfeit ATM cards to withdraw funds from the compromised accounts.

In May 2021, Judge Sorokin sentenced Kanev to 30 months in prison, one year of supervised release and was ordered to pay restitution of $199,624.

Acting United States Attorney Nathaniel R. Mendell and Frederick J. Regan, Special Agent in Charge of the U.S. Secret Service, Boston Field Office made the announcement today. Valuable assistance was provided by the Edgartown Police Department and the Oak Bluffs Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Mackenzie A. Queenin of Mendell’s Securities, Financial & Cyber Fraud Unit prosecuted the case.