A Nebraska federal grand jury charged 31 additional defendants in an ATM jackpotting scheme that allegedly used Ploutus malware to steal millions from U.S. ATMs and was orchestrated by members of the Venezuelan gang Tren de Aragua. Authorities say suspects tampered with ATM hardware to install malware, erased evidence to conceal attacks, laundered the proceeds, and now face a wide range of federal charges with potential sentences totaling decades. #Ploutus #TrenDeAragua
Keypoints
- A Nebraska grand jury indicted 31 more defendants in an ATM jackpotting scheme linked to Ploutus malware.
- Many suspects are Venezuelan and Colombian nationals affiliated with the Tren de Aragua criminal organization.
- Per the indictment, attackers tampered with ATM housings and swapped or connected drives to deploy the malware.
- The malware allowed attackers to force ATMs to dispense cash and delete evidence, with stolen funds laundered among members.
- Federal authorities have charged 87 Tren de Aragua members in six months, with potential sentences ranging up to 335 years.