Two alleged members of the Venezuelan-linked gang Tren De Aragua (TdA) were charged in an ATM jackpotting conspiracy that included robberies and attempted robberies across New England, according to federal prosecutors.
Moises Alejandro Martinez Gutierrz and Lestter Guerrero, both 29, have been charged with conspiracy to commit bank theft, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Massachusetts said in a news release.
Officials said both men are in the U.S. illegally.
The duo is accused of robberies and attempted robberies at ATMs in Massachusetts, Maine, New Hampshire, Connecticut and Rhode Island. They allegedly installed malware directly into the ATM’s software programming to force the machine to dispense all its cash.
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Prosecutors said there has been an ongoing federal investigation into a nationwide conspiracy allegedly coordinated and committed by TdA members to steal money from ATMs using malware, a scheme referred to as ATM jackpotting.
Martinez Gutierrez and Guerrero were arrested on Feb. 5 in Augusta, Maine, after an attempted ATM jackpotting robbery, according to charging documents.
Martinez Gutierrez is allegedly connected to at least five other ATM jackpotting robberies across New England, including robberies on Dec. 31 in Norwich, Connecticut; Jan. 20 in Braintree, Massachusetts; Jan. 30 in Rochester, New Hampshire; and attempted robberies Jan. 14 in Coventry, Rhode Island, and Jan. 19 in Stoneham, Massachusetts.
Guerrero is allegedly connected to at least one additional jackpotting robbery, with Martinez Gutierrez, on Jan. 30 in Rochester, New Hampshire.
If convicted on the conspiring to commit bank theft charge, the pair could be sentenced to up to five years in prison, up to three years of supervised release and a fine of up to $250,000.
TdA has allegedly developed revenue sources through a range of criminal activities, including ATM jackpotting to steal millions of dollars from financial institutions, prosecutors said in court documents.
Jackpotting proceeds are typically distributed amongst the gang’s members and associates to conceal its derivation, according to the court documents.
The members are often told to split the proceeds from a jackpot operation with 50% earmarked and sent to gang leadership in Venezuela and 50% divided among the individuals conducting ground operations.
