PIN Pad Theft Suspects Now Face Federal Charges
QUINCY, Mass. -- The four California men suspected of tampering with PIN pads at Stop & Shop stores are now also facing federal charges of conspiracy and aggravated identity theft for their roles in the alleged scam, according to published reports.
The federal complaint alleges that Arutyun Shatarevyan, 20, Arman Ter-Esayan, 22, Mikael Stepanian, 28, and Gevork Baltadjian, 20, stole customer credit and debit card information from Stop & Shop stores in Cranston, Coventry, and Providence, R.I.
"The effort to determine how much loss there has been to the cardholders is ongoing," U.S. Secret Service Special Agent Craig Marech said in an affidavit supporting the complaint.
According to the affidavit, authorities have seen surveillance video from California of people withdrawing cash from ATMs using account information from the Cranston and Coventry stores. There is also video of the defendants tampering with PIN pads in Stop & Shops in Seekonk, Mass. and Warwick, R.I., although apparently no data was stolen at those locations, the affidavit said.
The men have already been charged with conspiracy and computer crimes in Kent County District Court in Rhode Island after being arrested Monday night at the Coventry Stop & Shop.
The federal complaint alleges that Arutyun Shatarevyan, 20, Arman Ter-Esayan, 22, Mikael Stepanian, 28, and Gevork Baltadjian, 20, stole customer credit and debit card information from Stop & Shop stores in Cranston, Coventry, and Providence, R.I.
"The effort to determine how much loss there has been to the cardholders is ongoing," U.S. Secret Service Special Agent Craig Marech said in an affidavit supporting the complaint.
According to the affidavit, authorities have seen surveillance video from California of people withdrawing cash from ATMs using account information from the Cranston and Coventry stores. There is also video of the defendants tampering with PIN pads in Stop & Shops in Seekonk, Mass. and Warwick, R.I., although apparently no data was stolen at those locations, the affidavit said.
The men have already been charged with conspiracy and computer crimes in Kent County District Court in Rhode Island after being arrested Monday night at the Coventry Stop & Shop.