Two Venezuelan nationals, Carlos Javier Padron and Oddry Arnoldo Cabrera Torrealba, were sentenced to 78 months in federal prison for their involvement in an ATM hacking scheme known as 'jackpotting.' According to the Department of Justice, the individuals rigged ATMs and deployed malware to cause machines across the United States to dispense large sums of cash. The DOJ stated that both individuals are connected to Tren de Aragua, a transnational organized crime syndicate originating from Venezuela.
The Justice Department's release indicated that Tren de Aragua has expanded its criminal activities throughout the Western Hemisphere, including drug trafficking, firearms trafficking, and financial crimes targeting U.S. financial institutions. Following the investigation, 96 additional individuals were indicted for their roles in the ATM jackpotting conspiracy, facing various charges including support for a designated foreign terror organization.
Padron and Torrealba pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit bank burglary and computer fraud. They were also ordered to pay restitution of $1,537,696. The FBI's ongoing Operation Riptide aims to target the networks behind cybercrime and fraud against American citizens.