The Denpasar District Court yesterday sentenced three Bulgarian nationals to seven months in prison each for attempting an ATM skimming scheme in Bali.
“Thereby sentencing defendants Boycho Angelov Karadzhov, Filipina Aleksndrov Lyamov and Stoyan Vladimorov Stoyanow to seven months in prison and a fine of IDR5 million (US$361),” presiding judge I Made Pasek said at the hearing, as quoted by state news agency Antara.
They were found guilty of violating Article 30 under Indonesia’s Information and Electronic Transactions Law (UU ITE), which prohibits illegal access to electronic systems or computers and carries a maximum sentence of six years in prison.
According to reports, the foreigners attempted illegal access at two different locations in Denpasar last September. Among the evidence that was seized during their arrest were a card reading machine and a money counter.
Bali is unfortunately notorious for ATM skimming crimes, especially with its constant stream of spendthrift tourists coming in. Many of the perpetrators come from Eastern Europe, including an Ukrainian national who was arrested in October for installing a hidden camera on an ATM machine in North Kuta.
