Staff Reports
The Justice Department this week announced that two Venezuelan nationals were sentenced to 78 months in federal prison for running an ATM “jackpotting” scheme tied to the violent Tren de Aragua criminal network. The men pleaded guilty to conspiracy and computer fraud, were arrested at the scene in Lincoln, Nebraska in October 2024, and were ordered to pay more than $1.5 million in restitution to victim banks. This case is not small-time theft — prosecutors say it fed a transnational terror-style group that traffics drugs, people and violence into our neighborhoods.
How the scheme worked
Ploutus malware and in-person tampering
Prosecutors say members of the network used a variant of the Ploutus malware to make ATMs spit out cash on command. The criminals opened ATM service panels and installed the malware in person. Once active, the software allowed them to trigger the cash dispenser and then delete traces of the attack. Assistant Attorney General A. Tysen Duva warned these technology-enabled attacks threaten the safety of our banks and customers — and he’s right. This was high-tech theft, plain and simple.
Connected to a violent transnational network
Not just thieves — a funding pipeline for Tren de Aragua
This wasn’t a couple of kids hacking for quick money. DOJ and local prosecutors tie the proceeds to Tren de Aragua, a violent transnational criminal organization that began as a prison gang in Venezuela. U.S. Attorney Lesley A. Woods said ATM jackpotting is a primary revenue stream for TdA’s criminal work, including human trafficking and armed robbery. The arrests here triggered a broad federal sweep that has led to scores of related indictments across the country. That shows the problem is nationwide, not just Nebraska’s headache.
What this should mean for policy and enforcement
Run the bad guys down — then close the doors they used
Credit where credit is due: federal agents and task forces from the FBI, HSI, Secret Service and U.S. attorneys moved fast and worked together. But enforcement alone is not enough. If criminal networks are moving people and money across our borders, Congress and the administration must stop pretending porous policy is unrelated. We need stronger border controls, faster removals for criminal aliens, and tighter visa and asylum vetting so gangs like Tren de Aragua can’t recruit, live and launder cash in the U.S. That’s common-sense security, not politics.
Closing thought
The 78-month sentences and $1.5 million restitution are a start. They send a message that high-tech attacks on our banks and streets will be punished. But if Washington wants fewer headlines about international gangs stealing from Americans and funding violence, it must stop treating border failures as acceptable collateral. Law enforcement will keep doing its job; it’s time policy leaders do theirs.
