Fast Facts
- US authorities arrested Venezuelan cartel leader Anibal Alexander Canelon Aguirre for developing ATM malware used in a $5.1 million jackpotting scheme, targeting US banks.
- Tren de Aragua, a violent criminal cartel involved in various crimes, increasingly integrates cybercrime, laundering stolen cash through cryptocurrency networks like TRON.
- The cartel has stolen over $40.7 million via jackpotting incidents from 1,500+ attacks since 2024, with malware like Ploutus-D controlling ATM cash dispensation.
- Designated as a terrorist organization, Tren de Aragua’s cyber operations are linked to global illicit activity, leveraging cryptocurrency for laundering and funding other criminal activities.
Venezuelan Cartel Leader Arrested for ATM Jackpotting Crimes
Recently, U.S. authorities captured a Venezuelan man linked to a large cybercrime scheme. Anibal Alexander Canelon Aguirre, also called “Prometheus,” is accused of leading a group involved in ATM jackpotting. This scheme involves installing malware in cash machines to control their functions remotely. Over the past two years, the group stole more than $5.1 million from banks across North and Latin America. Authorities believe Canelon Aguirre created the malware used in these attacks. They also say his team targeted U.S. banks primarily, using sophisticated methods to rob ATMs electrically. The arrest is part of a broad effort to dismantle this criminal network, which had become a major threat to financial systems.
Malware and Cryptocurrency Fueling Growing Cybercrime Threat
The group used advanced malware called Ploutus-D, which first appeared in Mexico in 2013. This malicious software can make ATMs dispense cash without a card. The malware hides its activities by killing security processes and deleting traces of its operations. Criminals then convert stolen cash into cryptocurrencies like TRON to launder the money. They transfer funds through networks in Colombia, Mexico, and Venezuela. These digital transactions help hide the illicit origin of the money, making enforcement difficult. Since the group is linked to the Tren de Aragua cartel, their activities also support other illegal ventures, such as drug trafficking and human smuggling. The U.S. Department of the Treasury has sanctioned multiple cryptocurrency wallets used in these crimes, illustrating how cybercrime increasingly intertwines with international crime networks.
Continue Your Tech Journey
Dive deeper into the world of Cryptocurrency and its impact on global finance.
Explore past and present digital transformations on the Internet Archive.
CyberRisk-V1
