LOS ANGELES
A federal jury convicted Koren Robert Kechedzian, a Studio City man, of possessing more than 1,400 credit card numbers that had been stolen from gasoline pumps with “skimmers” that are used to illegally collect credit card information, according officials.
“The incidence of skimming, both here in Los Angeles and nationwide, has reached epidemic proportions and consumers need to very vigilant about any suspicious or unauthorized activity on their accounts,” said Joseph Macias, special agent in charge for Homeland Security Investigations Los Angeles. “These types of crimes not only result in major losses for financial institutions and merchants, but can cause a major disruption in consumers’ personal finances.”
Kechedzian, 24, of Studio City, was convicted on last week in federal court of two counts of credit card fraud and two counts of aggravated identity theft.
The jury found that Kechedzian possessed two USB flash drives – which are commonly called “thumb drives” – that contained stolen credit card information.
U.S. District Judge Philip S. Guttierez set sentencing for June 27. Kechedzian is facing up to 10 years in prison on each of the credit card fraud counts. The charge of aggravated identity theft carries a two-year prison term.
The portable drives were found at Kechedzian’s residence when federal authorities executed a search warrant in June 2013. At that time, investigators also recovered an illegal skimming device designed to be installed in gas station pumps to steal credit card data.
“As credit card thieves use increasingly sophisticated technology to access consumer data, consumers must be more vigilant in protecting their financial information and keeping a close eye on their transactions,” said U.S. Attorney Eileen M. Decker. “Law enforcement is responding to the increasing use of skimmers by working with businesses to help them secure their equipment and by more aggressively targeting those engaging in identity theft. This case demonstrates our commitment to protect consumers and to punish those who seek to defraud consumers and financial institutions.”
Special agents testifying at trial said that credit card fraud rings install skimming devices in gas station pumps and obtain credit card numbers from the devices using Bluetooth technology. Customers who use these compromised gas pumps are the unwitting victims of the credit card fraud.
Bank records examined by investigators established that the stolen credit cards numbers on the USB flash drives came from Chevon gas stations in Palmdale and Moorpark, and court testimony showed that the data on portable drives was the same as the information from the skimming device.
“As credit card fraud becomes more prevalent, we are increasing our efforts to protect consumers from fraud artists committed to taking the identities of innocent victims,” stated IRS Criminal Investigation’s Acting Special Agent in Charge Anthony J. Orlando. “Law enforcement officers respond to credit card fraud with every legal resource available. Let this conviction serve as a warning to those who are considering similar conduct.”