Court hears evidence in major US case

Magistrate Miriam Hayman yesterday started hearing evidence following the receipt of rogatory letters from American judicial authorities in connection with a case being heard in the federal court in San Francisco against a Ukrainian national, Roman Vega.

Mr Vega, 39, stands charged with 40 counts of credit card trafficking and wire fraud and is undergoing trial in the US following his extradition from Cyprus. 

It is understood that several Maltese have been victims of fraud via internet sites which Mr Vega, who is pleading not guilty, was running.

The bill of indictment claims that Mr Vega used internet chat rooms to traffic in the credit card information of thousands of individuals that had been illegally obtained from sources around the world, including credit card processors and merchants. 

He was also allegedly an operator the web site www.boafactory.com where stolen and counterfeit credit card account information was, it is alleged, bought and sold. 

Mr Vega stands charged with 20 counts of wire fraud and another 20 counts of unauthorised access to credit cards with intent to defraud.

He faces a staggering maximum penalty of 600 years in prison and a fine of $10 million because the maximum penalty for each count in the first set of 20 counts is 20 years imprisonment and a fine of $250,000. The maximum statutory penalty for each count in the second set of 20 counts is 10 years imprisonment and a fine of $250,000. In addition, the court may also order the restitution of the money defrauded in each case.

Mr Vega has been remanded in custody.

US Attorney Kevin V. Ryan said the case signified the Northern District of California's commitment to bringing criminal charges against those alleged to be major traffickers of stolen credit card account information. 

"It also should serve as an example to individuals abroad who commit fraud against our country's citizens and institutions that the Department of Justice will vigorously seek their extradition to the United States," he said.

The prosecution is the result of an investigation by the San Francisco Electronic Crimes Task Force, which includes agents from the United States Secret Service and the United States Postal Inspection Service. 

The investigation was overseen by the Computer Hacking and Intellectual Property (CHIP) Unit of the United States Attorney's Office. 

As usually happens in the case of evidence heard in connection with rogatory letters, the evidence is being heard behind closed doors.

When the evidence and documentation requested by the US judicial authorities is collected, the Magistrate will refer the case back to the Attorny General's office for onward transmission to the requesting authority in the US.