October 4, 2024

Six Venenzuelans arrested in ‘ATM jackpotting’ scheme

SYRACUSE (WBNG) — Six citizens of Venezuela were charged with conspiracy to commit bank robbery and bank theft related to their participation in a nationwide ATM jackpotting scheme, according to the United States Department of Justice.

The Department of Justice identified the defendants as: Jervis José Rivas-Solorzano, Silvio Fabián-Ordóñez, José Medina, José Navarro, Deivy Santiago Peña-Rojas and Jefferson José Márquez-Márquez.

The DOJ said “ATM jackpotting” is the exploitation of physical and software vulnerabilities in ATMs that result in the machines giving cash to unauthorized fraudsters.

In December 2023, more than $400,000 was stolen from financial institutions in the Northern District of New York in four separate ATM jackpot events in Onondaga, Broome and Chenango counties, the Department of Justice said.

The Department of Justice noted that Rivas Solórzano, Fabián Ordóñez, Medina, Navarro and Peña Rojas have been arrested and are in custody in the Northern District of New York. Marquez-Marquez is being held in South Dakota and is awaiting transport to the Northern District of New York.

All six defendants face a maximum penalty of five to ten years in prison, a fine and a term of supervised release of up to three years.

This case is being investigated by the FBI Albany Field Office with the assistance of multiple law enforcement agencies.