Stanley Mark Rifkin

Stanley Mark Rifkin
Born 1946 (age 68–69)
United States
Occupation Computer programmer/consultant
Criminal charge
 Theft

Stanley Mark Rifkin (born in 1946) is a convicted criminal in the United States responsible for stealing $10.2 million through wire transfer via telephone in the autumn of 1978. At the time, it was the largest bank robbery in U.S. history.[1]

Security Pacific National Bank heist

Working for a company under contract to develop a backup system for the Security Pacific National Bank wire room, Rifkin learned of the transfer procedures used, and found that bank agents would frequently write down the daily transfer code. One day in mid-October 1978, he made his way into the transfer room, saw the code, memorized it and walked out. Using social engineering techniques, he then made a few phone calls and had $10.2 million wired to the Irving Trust Company in New York for the credit of the Wozchod Handels Bank of Zurich in Switzerland, where he'd already set up an account.[2]

Having previously set up a diamond transaction, he picked up 43,200 carats (8.64 kg) in diamonds from a Russian agency, which he had purchased for USD 8.1 million. He flew back into the United States and began selling the diamonds, but a business associate that he was using reported him to the FBI. He was captured shortly after, just before midnight on November 5.[1]

References

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 "The Ultimate Heist". Time. 1978-11-20. p. 48.
  2. ↑ Kevin Mitnick (2002). The Art of Deception: Controlling the Human Element of Security. ISBN 0-471-23712-4.

Further reading

External links