‘Skimmer’ Trial To Resume Friday After Defendant Recovers From Appar

‘SKIMMER’ TRIAL TO RESUME FRIDAY AFTER DEFENDANT RECOVERS FROM APPARENT OVERDOSE OF SLEEPING PILLS

Fort Worth Star Telegram

June 21 2012

The trial for accused ID skimmer Aleksandr Goukasian will resume
on Friday after being halted for two days while the defendant was
hospitalized with an apparent overdose of prescription sleeping pills.

The defense is expected to begin presenting its case at 8:45 a.m.

Friday in state District Judge Wayne Salvant’s court.

Goukasian, 52, an Armenian who listed a Los Angeles address at the
time of his arrest, is accused of participating in a theft ring that
used high-tech “skimmers” to cull consumers’ account information from
gas pumps across North Texas.

Prosecutors Lori Burks and Jon O’Toole presented evidence that the
ring placed small devices inside gas pumps to collect credit and
debit card information and PIN numbers as consumers filled their tanks.

Thirteen skimmers were discovered throughout North Texas.

Defense attorneys Abe Factor and Gerard Kardonsky could not be reached
for comment.

-Dianna Hunt