A Brazilan national 34-year-old Marckus Vinycius Da Silva who arrived in Dominica on August 15, 2019, has been arrested and charged with counterfeit magnetic strips and theft of EC$150,000.00 using magnetic counterfeit strips at the National Bank of Dominica.
According to court documents, on arrival in Dominica Da Silva, though a native of Brazil has command of the English language having lived and worked in the USA. On arrival In Dominica, he resided in Portsmouth and rented an Escudo Suzuki.
Between August 15-22, 2019, Da Silva used the counterfeit magnetic strips to withdraw large sums of monies at several ATM of the NBD at Roseau, Canefield, Portsmouth and Calibishie.
The bank being aware of the suspicious transaction reported the matter to the police who met Da Silva at the ATM at the Canefield Airport at about 3pm on Thursday August 22, 2019. A search was conducted on his person and EC$305.00 in cash and eight blank value loaded magnetic strip cards were found. A search of the vehicle found EC$3,215.05. He was taken to his apartment in Portsmouth where a search was conducted via a search warrant. Among items found were an HP Laptop, one duplicate receipt book, one black and brown Samsnite suitcase containing two black plastic bags of cash.
He admitted to police that the cards are what he used to put the information on the blank value loaded magnetic strip cards with software installed on his laptop to take the cash from the NBD ATM’S.
The cash in one of the plastic bags totaled EC$50,020.00 and the cash in the other plastic bag totaled EC$97,300.00 totaling EC$147,320.00. Also the cash EC$3215.05 and EC$305.00 found in the glove compartment of the rental vehicle totaled $EC150, 840.05.
The court was told that of the cash stolen by Da Silva $94.95 was missing they recovered $149,905.05. He pleaded guilty to the charges and was fined a total of EC$70,000.00 all to be paid forthwith in default one year in jail.
His lawyer Wayne Norde told the court the client had not wasted the courts time and fully co-operated with the police. “He is remorseful for his action, he has not wasted the court’s time and also mostly all the cash stolen has been recovered,” Norde told the court. But magistrate Michael Ladaut said he need to send a clear message to those out there thinking of doing such criminal acts that they will be dealt with once caught.
This article is copyright © 2019 DOM767
