Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
08TIRANA557
2008-07-25 11:23:00
UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY
Embassy Tirana
Cable title:  

Albania's Success in a Criminal Financial Investigation

Tags:  PGOV KCRM PREL AL ASEC 
pdf how-to read a cable
VZCZCXRO6133
RR RUEHAG RUEHAST RUEHDA RUEHDF RUEHFL RUEHIK RUEHKW RUEHLA RUEHLN
RUEHLZ RUEHPOD RUEHROV RUEHSR RUEHVK RUEHYG
DE RUEHTI #0557 2071123
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 251123Z JUL 08
FM AMEMBASSY TIRANA
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 7286
INFO RUEHZL/EUROPEAN POLITICAL COLLECTIVE
RUEAWJA/DEPT OF JUSTICE WASHDC
UNCLAS TIRANA 000557 

SIPDIS
SENSITIVE

DEPARTMENT FOR EUR/SCE, DS/IP/EUR, DS/CR/CIL, DS/CR/CIF
DOJ FOR OPDAT AND ICITAP

E.O. 12958:N/A
TAGS: PGOV KCRM PREL AL ASEC

SUBJECT: Albania's Success in a Criminal Financial Investigation

UNCLAS TIRANA 000557

SIPDIS
SENSITIVE

DEPARTMENT FOR EUR/SCE, DS/IP/EUR, DS/CR/CIL, DS/CR/CIF
DOJ FOR OPDAT AND ICITAP

E.O. 12958:N/A
TAGS: PGOV KCRM PREL AL ASEC

SUBJECT: Albania's Success in a Criminal Financial Investigation


1. (U) SUMMARY: Scoring a major victory in a complex financial
investigation, police and prosecutors with the Joint Investigative
Unit to Fight Economic Crime and Corruption (JIU) arrested the head
of a criminal group and his 16 collaborators for robbing ATM
machines. END SUMMARY.


2. (U) Dubbed "Operation Matrix," the JIU arrested the 17 suspects
for robbing ATM machines using counterfeit credit cards containing
personalized information of third parties, resulting in over two
million euros in losses to victims including Albanian and foreign
banks, stores in Albania, Montenegro and Macedonia and citizens from
the US, UK and Canada. The investigation began in November 2007
immediately after the American Bank of Albania discovered suspicious
money transactions which were then reported to police. DOJ-OPDAT,
acting as a liaison between the JIU and the U.S. Embassy, asked the
RSO to forward 53 pictures captured by video cameras at ATMs and
retail shops to the Computer Investigations and Forensics Branch of
the Diplomatic Security Service for the purpose of enhancing their
quality to make the defendants' faces more visible. These enhanced
photos were instrumental in identifying the defendants.


3. (U) Endrit Gjergjani, considered by police to be the brain of
the criminal group, is accused of purchasing personal information
through the internet from computer hackers to create counterfeit
credit cards. At Gjergjani's home, police seized a sophisticated
electronic device, purchased in Russia, along with blank credit
cards and other IT equipment. Police claim Gjergjani supplied
counterfeit Visa and MasterCard Credit Cards to his associates who
would then withdraw money from ATM machines to purchase luxury items
either in Albania or ordered from abroad. Police have documented at
least 400 such ATM withdrawals in different cities throughout
Albania. Police also seized several expensive cars and other luxury
items purchased with these counterfeit cards.


4. (SBU) The Director General of the Albanian police described this
as the "the crime of the future," while praising the investigation
as a successful cooperation between the Economic and Financial Crime
Unit of the Police, the Tirana police special operations unit, bank
experts and JIU prosecutors who led the entire process.


5. (SBU) COMMENT: This case demonstrates both the growing
sophistication of Albanian criminals and the growing capabilities of
Albanian law enforcement to investigate these modern crimes. The
prosecutors on this case participated in OPDAT-sponsored training,
and the assistance provided by the Diplomatic Security Service
directly impacted the success of this operation. OPDAT will
continue to offer training and assistance to Albanian prosecutors
for conducting complex financial crime investigations.

WITHERS