Poker playing brothers facing jail over ATM scam

Scotland -- A Glasgow court has heard how two professional poker players are facing jail sentences after stealing over £150,000 in 2005 by exploiting a glitch in Hbos's ATM system.

According to local press reports, brothers Mohammed Imran, 33, and Mohammed Irfan, 36 - who were once rated among the top poker players in the UK - stole £154,640 to fund a gambling holiday in Las Vegas by exploting a fault in Hbos's ATM network.


The pair are thought to have made hundreds of withdrawals at cash machines across Glasgow between 29 May 29 and 1 June 2005.


Glasgow Sheriff Court heard how the brothers were able to exploit a glitch that occurred in Hbos's ATM programming system when it was overhauled following the merger of Halifax and Bank of Scotland three years ago.


This glitch, which has now been fixed, allowed the pair to by-pass ATM security by using an expired Hbos card.


The bank eventually became aware of the problem and traced the card to a newsagents in the Charing Cross area of Glasgow, which was found to be owned by the sister-in-law of one of the brothers accused. Reports says police raids uncovered £14,480 in a safe belonging to Imran and another £140,160 in a safe at Irfan's home.


The pair will be sentenced later this month.


A Hbos spokesman told reporters that the bank alerted the police after identifying the problem and no customers have lost any money as a result of the glitch.

News Added: 12 March, 2008

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