Diner's Club alleges businessman part of ATM scam

International academics are outraged about a court order preventing the media or any witnesses from publicly exposing the computerized security systems of Diners Club International, according to a report in South Africa's The Mercury. But Diners Club attorneys argue that it would not be right for the public to learn the inner workings of the security systems. The court reasserted its right to bar certain evidence this week when the public was prevented from hearing the testimony of Diners Club's expert witnesses. Diner's Club is suing Durban businessman Anil Singh for allegedly colluding with a crime syndicate that attempted to defraud Diners Club South Africa of millions of rands in an elaborate ATM scam, according to the Mercury. Singh and his wife, Vanithra, are being sued by Diners Club for 600,000 rand (about $76,032 U.S.), the amount it claims was withdrawn from ATMs in London in 190 transactions over two days in March of 2000. Some evidence was heard in the marathon civil trial in London earlier this month. The case continued in the Durban High Court this week. The media were barred from hearing the testimony of certain witnesses after the court ruled that security would be breached if information about bank systems was disclosed.