DOJ charges 31, including alleged Tren de Aragua members, in nationwide ATM jackpotting scheme

The Justice Department announced Monday that it has charged 31 additional individuals in a sprawling nationwide ATM fraud scheme that prosecutors say funneled millions of dollars to the Venezuelan gang Tren de Aragua, a U.S.-designated foreign terrorist organization.

Federal prosecutors say many of the newly charged defendants are affiliated with Tren de Aragua, bringing the total number of people charged in the case to 87, according to a department press release.

Court documents filed in Nebraska allege that members of the conspiracy used a sophisticated malware known as Ploutus to hijack ATMs across the United States in a method known as “jackpotting.” The malware allows criminals to issue unauthorized commands to ATM systems and force machines to dispense cash on demand.

According to prosecutors, conspirators would

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