Four Venezuelan Nationals Indicted in $529,000 ATM 'Jackpotting' Scheme Across Connecticut

Federal prosecutors have announced charges against four Venezuelan nationals in connection with an alleged ATM "jackpotting" operation across Connecticut. The scheme reportedly yielded over $529,000 in illicit gains over less than two weeks, from August 8 to August 18, 2025.

According to the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Connecticut, the accused individuals targeted automated teller machines at various locations, including rest stops along Interstate 95, employing specialized hardware and malicious software to compel the machines to dispense cash.

The individuals charged are Euclides Moreno Itanare, 28, from Raleigh, North Carolina; Willian Ricardo Flores, 49, from the Bronx, New York; Alberto Jose Freites Arvilla, 41, from Queens, New York; and Luis Jose Freites Arvilla, 38, from Lynn, Massachusetts. All four were apprehended on June 25 and face charges of interstate transportation of stolen property and conspiracy. Prosecutors confirmed that each defendant holds Venezuelan citizenship.

Allegations of a Sophisticated Scheme

Authorities detailed that the defendants allegedly targeted ATMs in towns such as Milford and Ansonia, in addition to I-95 service plazas situated in Fairfield, Branford, Madison, and Darien.

Specific incidents highlighted by prosecutors include the alleged theft of $136,000 from an ATM at the I-95 northbound rest stop in Fairfield. Other significant amounts reportedly stolen included $84,000 from an I-95 southbound rest stop in Madison, $66,400 from an I-95 northbound rest stop in Branford, and a cumulative total exceeding $177,000 from multiple incidents in Darien.

The alleged method for these thefts consistently involved a coordinated effort: one individual would maintain watch while another accessed the ATM's internal components by opening its hood. Over several hours, the conspirators would then take turns approaching the compromised machine to collect the cash as it was ejected. To avoid detection and repeated scrutiny, the suspects sometimes changed their attire when returning to the same ATM multiple times, as indicated by court documents.

Ongoing Investigation and National Trend

Investigators built their case using various forms of evidence, including surveillance footage, records from mobile phones, data from Google and Apple accounts, and photographic evidence reportedly retrieved from the suspects’ electronic devices.

In one instance, an attempted theft at a Cumberland Farms ATM in Ansonia was unsuccessful because the machine was protected by a software patch designed to prevent this specific type of "jackpotting" attack, prosecutors stated.

The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) is leading the inquiry, with support from the Connecticut State Police, the Raleigh Police Department, and the New York City Police Department. Officials noted that the investigation remains active as authorities explore potential links between the accused group and other ATM thefts.

The U.S. Department of Justice and the FBI have reported a noticeable increase in "jackpotting" incidents across the United States. A report released in February by federal investigators revealed that out of approximately 1,900 ATM jackpotting incidents documented since 2020, more than 700 of these, resulting in losses exceeding $20 million, occurred in 2025 alone.