Two Venezuelan Nationals Sentenced to 78 Months Each for ATM Malware Theft

Two Venezuelan nationals were sentenced to 78 months in federal prison each for their roles in an ATM jackpotting conspiracy that used malware to steal cash from machines across the United States. Washington Examiner reported that Carlos Javier Padron and Oddry Arnoldo Cabrera Torrealba pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit bank burglary and one count of computer fraud and intentional damage to a protected computer.

The pair was ordered to pay $1,537,696 in restitution.

Washington Examiner reported that they deployed Plotus malware on ATMs by removing hard drives and installing the software in person, after which co-conspirators used remote computer access to trigger cash dispensals. The malware deletes evidence of its presence after use. Washington Examiner reported that the two men are connected to Tren de Aragua, a transnational criminal organization.

Since their arrests, an additional 96 people have been indicted on related charges that include material support to a designated foreign terror organization, financial crimes, money laundering, and banking crimes. The case is part of Operation Riptide, an FBI campaign targeting cybercrime and fraud.

Tysen Duva, assistant attorney general of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division, said the defendants helped deploy sophisticated malware as part of a network that hacked ATMs and stole millions through jackpotting. Lesley Woods, U.S. Attorney for the District of Nebraska, said ATM jackpotting serves as a primary revenue source for the organization’s activities, which include drug trafficking, firearms trafficking, commercial sex trafficking, kidnapping, robbery, theft, fraud, and extortion.