Two Chinese nationals convicted of "skimming" $US27,500 from ATMs around Samoa have each been sentenced to five years in prison.
Photo: 123 RF
The sentence was handed down last Friday at the District Court by Judge Fepulea'i Ameperosa Roma who said he believed more people were involved in the thefts from the Bank South Pacific ATM machines.
Judge Roma said there was a high degree of planning in the thefts.
The crime involved counterfeit bank cards that were used to illegally withdraw funds from the accounts of offshore clients.
The judge told the court the men had travelled from China to an island they had never previously visited and used the fake cards to withdraw numerous and substantial sums over a three day period.