A BANK of Ireland computer specialist defrauded his employers of over €40,000 by increasing the overdraft on his girlfriend’s account, Dublin Circuit Criminal Court has heard.
Wiktor Wolcaski (29), of Castleknock Rise, Castleknock, said he needed the money because his girlfriend had a medical problem which he believed required an operation.
Wolcaski pleaded guilty to seven counts of theft and using a computer for fraud in March and February 2008. Judge Katherine Delahunt remanded him on bail until next week.
Det Garda Michael Kilfeather told prosecuting counsel Garret Baker that Wolcaski had been living in Ireland since 2005 since moving from Poland and had got a job in the debt recovery unit of Bank of Ireland, based in Ferry House on Mount Street.
In September 2007, his girlfriend opened a Bank of Ireland account.
Shortly afterwards, Wolcaski began to gradually alter her account by increasing its overdraft and credit rating.
He initially raised the daily withdrawal limit to the maximum of €1,300 a day. He then increased the overdraft limit several times until it reached €47,000.
Finally, he altered the credit rating to make it look more favourable.
Over the course of two months, Wolcaski went to ATMs across the city daily and usually withdrew the maximum amount allowed.
An alert system highlighting the unusual withdrawals came to the attention of Gerry Gibson in the fraud prevention unit of the bank.
He investigated and the changes were easily traced back to Wolcaski as they had been made under his user name.
Gardaí were called in and Wolcaski was arrested.
He made immediate admissions and claimed he did not think it was illegal as the system allowed him to make the changes.
He said he thought he had discovered “a gap in procedure” and believed if the bank found out they would merely tell him not to do it anymore.
He said he needed the money for a medical procedure for his girlfriend. Garda Kilfeather said he seemed to be “obsessed with his girlfriend’s health” despite her having no diagnosed medical condition.
Garda Kilfeather agreed with Ronan Kennedy, defending, that Wolcaski’s girlfriend knew nothing about the fraud and had not withdrawn the money.
Bank of Ireland recovered most of the money from his home and other banks whose ATMs Wolcaski used to make withdrawals. The outstanding balance of €3,000 was repaid by Wolcaski.
Garda Kilfeather agreed Wolcaski’s admissions helped avoid a complex and time-consuming investigation.
Mr Kennedy asked Judge Delahunt to view his client’s offence as a “once-off blip” and not impose a prison term.