Prosecutors have called for a Brazilian who admitted money laundering as part of a credit card scam to be sentenced to at least three years behind bars.

Luca Bandeira, 22, pleaded guilty in the Supreme Court to possession of $66,080 in criminal funds, possession of a machine to create fake credit cards and possession of fake credit cards on June 24 last year.

Bandeira also admitted attempting to steal from the delivery services Sargasso Sea and Pronto, and theft of an unknown amount from the same businesses, between July 1 and 10.

At a sentencing hearing yesterday, prosecutors said that Bandeira was arrested after police received reports of suspicious activity at HSBC ATMs.

A search of his residence on the island revealed more than $66,000 in Bermudian cash, a number of gift cards, HSBC receipts and equipment used for reading and making cards.

The court heard that the equipment was used to attach bank card details to the gift cards, which would allow the user to withdraw cash from the ATMs.

Bandeira was released on police bail but arrested again on July 10 after police received reports about suspicious purchases from local delivery services.

The Crown suggested a total sentence of three years for the five offences, as well as forfeiture orders to seize the cash, the card equipment and a Rolex watch.

Victoria Greening, for Bandeira, said that the defendant had travelled from Brazil to Miami for what was intended to be a three-month visit, but as the stay neared its end he decided he wanted to extend his time abroad.

She said that he intended to enrol in a school but needed at least $20,000 to cover his housing and tuition.

“He was referred to a person in Bermuda, who would help him,” Ms Greening said. “He was fully aware the intention was to obtain ill-gotten goods by credit card fraud.”

Ms Greening said that after his initial arrest, Bandeira was left without means to sustain himself and resorted to further fraud to survive.

She told the court that a social inquiry report found that Bandeira was in “survival mode” all of his life and genuinely regretted his actions.

Ms Greening noted that Bandeira admitted responsibility at the earliest opportunity.

She suggested a sentence of two years and three months for the offences, with the time he had already served taken into account.

Bandeira apologised to the court, the police and the people of Bermuda, stating that he had grown up without a father and his greed had caused his daughter to lose her father for the past year.

“I am in prison and my daughter is in Brazil,” he said. “My daughter is now in the same situation because of my actions.”

Puisne Judge Juan Wolffe reserved his decision on sentencing and adjourned the matter until Thursday morning.

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