Man charged in scheme to steal thousands of dollars from ATMs
By Isabel Litterst
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PITTSFIELD, New Hampshire (WMUR) — A man accused of orchestrating an ATM scam along the Eastern Seaboard is being held at the Merrimack County Jail.
Investigators said ATMs at stores in Massachusetts and New Hampshire were hit by a malware scam in February.
The scheme, known as “jackpotting,” allows a person to empty an ATM using a fake bank card.
Stephano Mazzochi, a Romanian national, is accused of planning multiple jackpotting thefts, including one on Feb. 21 that resulted in the loss of thousands of dollars.
One of the stores targeted was Bell Brothers in Pittsfield, where investigators said Mazzochi stole more than $6,000 from the ATM.
“It hurts because, you know, we’re just a single store here. We’re not a big chain like a lot of places. We put everything we have into this place and we take pride in it,” said Joel Chagnon, owner of Bell Brothers.
Pittsfield police said Mazzochi entered the country illegally in 2023 and has used multiple fake identities. He was extradited to New Hampshire on Tuesday.
“We were able to track him kind of up and down the East Coast and connect him to a number of similar crimes and skimmer type incidents,” said Sgt. Devon Rego of the Pittsfield Police Department.
Other stores targeted include one in Pelham, New Hampshire, and two others in Dunstable and Westford, Massachusetts.
Police said Mazzochi was identified after being arrested on Long Island in May.
“If we can stop him from getting another mom and pop place or any, any place in general, it’s a good day,” Chagnon said.
Mazzochi is facing felony theft charges and is scheduled to be arraigned Wednesday.
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