Federal Grand Jury Indicts Six More in ATM Jackpotting Scheme Linked to Transnational Criminal Organization

A federal grand jury in Nebraska has expanded its crackdown on a sophisticated ATM jackpotting operation, indicting six additional individuals and bringing the total number of defendants charged in the nationwide scheme to 93. The latest charges reveal how a violent transnational criminal organization has allegedly deployed malware to steal millions from ATMs across America, with proceeds funneled through a complex money laundering network.

Background and Context

The wave of indictments represents one of the largest federal actions against ATM jackpotting—a form of cybercrime where criminals install malware on ATMs to command them to dispense cash on demand. The operation has been linked to Tren de Aragua (TdA), which U.S. authorities have designated as a Foreign Terrorist Organization. According to court documents, the criminal enterprise originated as a Venezuelan prison gang in the mid-2000s before expanding throughout the Western Hemisphere and establishing a significant presence in the United States.

The investigation has revealed a pattern of sophisticated cyber attacks targeting financial institutions, with losses exceeding $100,000 per jackpotting attempt. Overall victim financial institutions have suffered over $6 million in confirmed losses, with an additional $1.74 million in attempted thefts, according to federal prosecutors.

Key Figures and Entities

The most recent indictment, returned Wednesday, charges six Venezuelan nationals residing in the Houston area: Wester Eduardo Dugarte Goicochea, 43; Mauro Angel Briceno Caldera, 37; Henry Rafael Gonzalez-Gutierrez, 37; Giovanny Miguel Ocanto Yance, 26; Jelfenson David Bolivar Diaz, 38; and Arlinzon Jose Reyes Villegas, 21. They face five counts including conspiracy to commit bank fraud, conspiracy to commit bank burglary and computer fraud, bank fraud, bank burglary, and damage to computers.

These charges follow previous indictments returned on December 9, 2025, October 21, 2025, and January 21, 2026, which collectively charged 87 additional individuals. The December indictment specifically alleged that TdA conducted jackpotting attacks across America, with 13 individuals charged with conspiracy to provide material support to terrorists.

Legal and Financial Mechanisms

According to court documents, the alleged scheme involved installing malicious software on ATM systems, allowing perpetrators to command the machines to dispense cash regardless of account balances or transaction limits. The indictment alleges that TdA used jackpotting to steal millions of dollars in the United States and then transferred the proceeds among its members and associates to conceal the illegally obtained cash.

The money laundering component of the conspiracy allegedly involved distributing stolen funds through networks of associates to obscure the origin of the money. Federal prosecutors note that TdA has developed financial crimes as an additional revenue stream, targeting financial institutions throughout the United States beyond their more traditional criminal enterprises.

International Implications and Policy Response

The case illustrates how transnational criminal organizations are increasingly adopting sophisticated cybercrime techniques to fund their operations. TdA's criminal portfolio has expanded beyond drug trafficking, firearms trafficking, and commercial sex trafficking to include high-tech financial crimes that pose significant challenges to law enforcement and regulatory agencies.

The investigation is being coordinated through multiple federal task forces, including the Homeland Security Task Force established by Executive Order 14159 and Joint Task Force Vulcan, which was originally created in 2019 to eradicate MS-13 but has since expanded to target TdA. The operation represents a whole-of-government approach involving the FBI, Immigration and Customs Enforcement Homeland Security Investigations, and dozens of local law enforcement agencies across the country.

If convicted on all counts, the defendants face maximum penalties ranging from 20 to 335 years in prison, reflecting the seriousness with which federal authorities are treating the convergence of organized crime, terrorism, and cyber financial crimes.

Sources

This report draws on indictment documents filed in the District of Nebraska, court records related to the case, and public statements from the U.S. Department of Justice regarding the investigation into ATM jackpotting operations connected to Tren de Aragua. The information encompasses federal charges returned between October 2025 and January 2026.