A Moldovan national was jailed for 12 months for bank fraud for stealing money from cash machines.

Iurie Rogojina, 34, stole $167.50 from Clarien Bank and $780 from Butterfield Bank. He also admitted attempting to steal $4,315 from Clarien Bank and $4,150 from Butterfield Bank, Magistrates’ Court heard on Friday.

Prosecutor Alan Richards said that Rogojina came to Bermuda on May 6 as a visitor and attempted to steal the money with the help of others.

He added that the defendant carried out the thefts with “a sophisticated level of design” by using fraudulent credit cards to withdraw money from ATMs.

The offences took place on May 11 and 12, but further details about them were not provided in court.

Senior magistrate Juan Wolffe said that Rogojina’s actions struck Bermuda “at the heart of our financial industry”.

He added that the defendant sought out Bermuda “like a thief in the night” and planned to leave before his crimes were noticed.

Mr Wolffe sentenced Rogojina to 12 months imprisonment for each charge, which will run concurrently.

He added that the theft would have affected many residents as Rogojina attempted to “wreak havoc on our financial sector”.

Mr Wolffe explained: “Stealing from ATMs is not to be seen as a victimless crime; they affect everyone.”

• It is The Royal Gazette’s policy not to allow comments on stories regarding court cases. As we are legally liable for any libellous or defamatory comments made on our website, this move is for our protection as well as that of our readers.