NYC D.A. indicts 13 in $3 million charge card 'skimming' scamNYC D.A. indicts 13 in $3 million charge card 'skimming' scam

NEW YORK Manhattan District Attorney Robert Morgenthau on Friday disclosed the indictments of 13 people for alleged conspiracy in making more than $3 million in purchases through the fraudulent electronic "skimming" of customers' credit cards by waiters in Asian restaurants in the metropolitan New York area, Florida, New Hampshire, New Jersey and Connecticut.

The restaurants were not named, but Chinatown, Brooklyn, Westchester and Long Island were identified as the local areas involved.

The DA's office said its 10-month identity theft probe determined that the fraud ring operated from November 2005 until last Wednesday, and involved the defendants' alleged copying of credit card data, creation of fake cards and sales for cash of goods that were purchased with them in 10 states nationwide.

The defendants, 12 of whom had been arrested, face possible prison sentences of four years to 19 years.