US Sanctions 10 Over ATM 'Jackpotting' Malware Scheme Linked to Venezuelan Gang

The US Treasury Department's Office of Foreign Assets Control has sanctioned 10 individuals, mostly Venezuelan nationals, along with companies they control, for their role in an ATM 'jackpotting' scheme. The malware involved, known as Ploutus, forces ATMs to dispense all available cash once installed via a laptop connected directly to the machine. Officials have tracked at least 1,500 such attacks, resulting in losses of $40.7 million.

Treasury officials say the scheme is a major revenue source for Tren de Aragua, a Venezuelan criminal organisation. Stolen funds were allegedly laundered through cryptocurrency and shell companies based in Mexico and elsewhere. Blockchain analysis firm Chainalysis found that the laundering networks overlapped with those used by Colombian and Mexican drug cartels, suggesting shared criminal infrastructure across Latin America.

The sanctions follow other US government actions against the scheme, including the indictment of at least 98 people and guilty pleas from five men last month. The alleged developer of the Ploutus malware, Anibal Alexander Canelon Aguirre, has been placed on the FBI's most wanted list for allegedly coordinating teams across the US to target ATMs, often in remote locations.