Two Venezuelan nationals, Luz Granados and Johan Gonzalez-Jimenez, were convicted of ATM jackpotting using malware and will be deported after serving sentences and paying restitution. Authorities linked the scheme to the decade-old Ploutus malware and a broader campaign associated with the Tren de Aragua syndicate. #Ploutus #TrenDeAragua
Keypoints
- Two Venezuelan nationals were convicted for ATM jackpotting and face deportation.
- Attackers removed ATM casings and connected laptops to install malware that caused machines to dispense all cash.
- Granados received time served and must pay $126,340; Gonzalez-Jimenez was sentenced to 18 months and ordered to pay $285,100.
- The Department of Justice charged 54 individuals linked to a large multi-state ATM jackpotting campaign tied to Tren de Aragua.
- Ploutus malware, active since the mid-2010s, was identified by the DoJ as used in recent attacks as recently as August 2025.
Read More: https://www.securityweek.com/2-venezuelans-convicted-in-us-for-using-malware-to-hack-atms/