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Reputed crime boss accepts plea agreement
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LAS VEGAS REVIEW-JOURNAL
The reputed leader of a Bulgarian organized crime ring in Las Vegas has pleaded guilty to stealing hundreds of thousands of dollars from bank ATMs around the valley.
Dimitar Dimitrov pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to traffic in and produce counterfeit access devices in a deal hammered out by defense attorney John Momot and Eric Johnson, chief of the Nevada U.S. Attorney's Organized Crime Strike Force. The felony charge draws a maximum five-year prison term and $250,000 fine.
In exchange for Dimitrov's plea, federal prosecutors will dismiss a felony gun possession case against him, along with a third case involving the theft of $1.6 million in luxury cars and boats through an elaborate credit scheme.
But prosecutors retain the right to prosecute the 59-year-old for any acts of violence they uncover. His sentencing was set for Oct. 27.
FBI wiretaps revealed Dimitrov had a penchant for threatening violence during his international criminal dealings.
He vowed to get crime figures in Bulgaria to "cut off the ears" of a former associate and "use them as cigarette holders," according to the wiretaps. FBI agents also overheard Dimitrov bragging that he knew how to keep a witness in line by tying him to a tree with wire, pouring gasoline over him and standing next to him with cigarettes and a lighter.
In keeping Dimitrov behind bars last year as the criminal case unfolded, U.S. District Judge Kent Dawson described him as a "lifelong criminal who has little regard for others."
To law enforcement authorities, Dimitrov represents the new kind of organized crime boss in Las Vegas: someone who is capable of violence but also adept at pulling off high-tech, sophisticated scams.
Dimitrov had one crew stealing the cash from the ATMs and another buying cars and boats in the credit scam, authorities said.
The ATM scheme involved stealing bank account and personal identification numbers when customers did business at ATMs in the spring of 2009. Dimitrov's crew used that information to make counterfeit debit cards and withdraw money from ATMs, according to the plea agreement.
Often the numbers were stolen by installing a small hidden camera above the keypad of an ATM. The scheme was so sophisticated that customers had no idea their information was stolen until it was too late, the plea agreement said.
Dimitrov's crew acquired the cars and boats from dealerships by fraudulently obtaining loans they never intended to pay. They either sold or rented the cars to other people and smuggled some vehicles to Eastern Europe, court records show.
In many cases, straw buyers claiming to be employed by fictitious companies approached the dealerships on behalf of the defendants.
Nine of Dimitrov's crew members were charged with him last year. Four remain at large in Bulgaria, but four of the five arrested here have pleaded guilty in both theft cases, federal court records show. His wife, Viarka Dimitrova, who was charged with helping him unlawfully obtain a 9 mm pistol, will have a chance to enter into a federal diversion agreement that could result in her charges being dismissed.
Because most of Dimitrov's arrested co-defendants have pleaded guilty with him, prosecutors will recommend some prison time be cut from their sentences.
Dimitrov agreed to make full restitution in the ATM thefts and, with some of his co-defendants, forfeit $1 million worth of cars and boats authorities seized in the credit scheme, the plea agreement said.
Several luxury cars, including a Mercedes Benz S550, Audi A4 and Volvo S60, were among the cars stolen in the scheme.
Eastern European crime rings cost Southern Nevada tens of millions of dollars each year in identity theft and credit scams, authorities have said.
FBI agents and Las Vegas police set up a special task force to investigate the crimes committed by those groups, which maintain international connections.
Dimitrov was overheard on FBI wiretaps bragging that he had "crews" in the south of France, Spain and Portugal .
Contact Jeff German at jgerman@reviewjournal.com or 702-380-8135.
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Wow serve five years and repay probably one tenth of what he has taken from the innocent. He will be back on the streets before the people he stole from can even finacially recover. He will get out and still have all the capitol to start right back up with a new crew of knuckleheads. Another good job by our justice system. Or we can condem him to death and not have to worry about him anymore and send a message to others considering the same actions?
When his sentence is over he will be deported and 1 week after that he will re-enter the country through mexico and be back in business.
Several questions come to mind, one were these organized crime figures legally in the country and if legally here, how do such well know criminals, especially crime bosses legally enter the U.S.? Understanding that all illegal aliens are part of massive organized crime and some more sophisticated; if we don’t get control over all aspect of our immigration system since it seems almost any sociopath can legally our illegally enter we are certainly doomed. Our immigration system isn’t broken, it is entirely corrupted.
"Eastern European crime rings cost Southern Nevada tens of millions of dollars each year in identity theft and credit scams, authorities have said."
- Not a bad trade for 5 years and $250,000.
Oh, and he forfeits $1 million worth of (stolen) cars and boats authorities seized in the credit scheme.
If he sticks around town for a few years, Las Vegans will elect him mayor.
homer, enough with the left wing talking points! Or did you forget your favorite Weiner, your tax dodging congressman from new york (Rangle) or your tax dodging treasury secretary. Or maybe we could look a little closer to home and the former state legislature who brazenly ignored the cooling off period before he started lobbying for the judges. There are enough of them on both sides. But I guess the truth never stops progressives like you from your talking points and hyperbole, does it?
wiseguy There is no need for the ACLU this is a typical white collar crime that is an accepted behavior by the right wingers, after all it is done on a daily basis by Republicans in Congress.
but this is a non-violent crime? why should he be in jail for this?? where is the ACLU?
So where did he get the money to pay for the
"full restitution" . It did say he was a lifetime criminal.