Card-skimming ring leader to serve up to 13.5 years in prison

A man charged in 2012 with organizing a credit card skimming ring has been sentenced to serve four-and-a-half to 13-and-a-half years in prison.

In February, Luis “Damian” Jacas pleaded guilty to charges that included enterprise corruption. Jacas oversaw a network of waitstaff at New York City restaurants, including Smith & Wollensky, Capital Grille and Wolfgang's Steakhouse, where they copied customer credit cards with handheld skimming devices.

The card data was given to Jacas, who forged them and then passed them on to other money mules who would purchase luxury goods and resell them.

According to prosecutors, the operation began as early as April 2010 and involved at least 50 American Express account holders.