Two Venezuelan nationals, Luz Granados and Johan Gonzalez-Jimenez, were convicted for an ATM jackpotting scheme that used Ploutus malware to force older ATMs to dispense all available cash. They were sentenced or ordered to pay restitution, will be deported after their sentences, and their case connects to a broader indictment tied to alleged Tren de Aragua members. #Ploutus #TrenDeAragua
Keypoints
- Granados and Gonzalez-Jimenez pleaded guilty to conspiracy and computer crimes for emptying older ATMs across the southeastern U.S.
- The perpetrators connected laptops or replaced hard drives to install Ploutus variants that bypassed ATM security and forced cash dispensals.
- Stolen funds were taken directly from banks, affecting institutions in South Carolina, Georgia, North Carolina, and Virginia.
- Gonzalez-Jimenez was sentenced to 18 months and ordered to pay $285,100; Granados received time served and was ordered to pay $126,340, with both facing deportation.
- Evidence sharing with Nebraska authorities led to a 54-person indictment linked to a wider ATM jackpotting conspiracy and alleged Tren de Aragua involvement.