Financial Cybercrime

The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Massachusetts has charged Moises Alejandro Martinez Gutierrez and Lestter Guerrero, both 29 and in the U.S. illegally, with conspiracy to commit bank theft for an alleged ATM “jackpotting” spree tied to the Venezuelan-linked Tren de Aragua gang. Prosecutors say the pair installed malware directly into ATM software at machines in Massachusetts, Maine, New Hampshire, Connecticut and Rhode Island, forcing them to dispense all available cash, and were arrested Feb. 5 in Augusta, Maine, during an attempted attack. Martinez Gutierrez is allegedly linked to at least five robberies and attempts between Dec. 31 and Jan. 30 across four states, while Guerrero is accused in at least one additional New Hampshire case. Court documents describe a broader nationwide DOJ investigation into Tren de Aragua’s use of ATM jackpotting to steal millions, with 50% of proceeds allegedly kicked back to gang leaders in Venezuela and the rest split among on-the-ground operatives. The case highlights both the spread of Latin American criminal organizations into U.S. financial crimes and the growing use of sophisticated malware against ATM networks, an emerging cybersecurity concern for banks and law enforcement.