Evidence of a scam was outlined to Tuam District Court yesterday detailing how banks and other financial institutions are being targeted for large amounts of money.
A Romanian mother-of-three was given a seven-month suspended sentence and fined €300 for her part in the swindle.
Mr James Glynn, defending solicitor, said Harna Vandana (21), St Joseph's Avenue, Donegal, did not know the name of the primary figure in the operation but she had fully co-operated with investigating gardaí.
Det Garda Pat Shannon agreed that Vandana was a pawn in a bigger operation and that a search was now under way to track down the ringleader.
He said the main suspect would give a wad of notes to someone like Vandana and get her to go to a bank or financial institution. On June 15th, she went to the Ulster Bank branch in Tuam with a wad of €100 notes and asked the teller to change them for €50 notes.
A distraction was created and Vandana told the teller she then wanted the cash changed to €20 notes. She then scooped some of the €50 notes before returning the bundle to the teller. Ulster Bank later noticed a €70 shortfall in its balance and, after viewing CCTV, realised what had happened.
Vandana pleaded guilty and also admitted taking €500 from St Jarlath's Credit Union in Tuam on August 9th.