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Over half a million stolen in ATM 'jackpotting' scheme, officials say
USA Today • • nation
Key Points:
- Four men have been charged in federal court for stealing over $529,000 from at least nine Connecticut ATMs in August 2025 through a "jackpotting" scheme using specialized hardware and malware.
- The suspects, all Venezuelan nationals from various U.S. states, were arrested on June 25 and face charges including interstate transportation of stolen property and conspiracy, with potential prison sentences of up to 10 years.
- The scheme involved one man physically accessing the ATM's interior to install a device, while others repeatedly withdrew cash using inserted cards and PINs, sometimes changing clothes to avoid detection.
- Surveillance footage and photos show the men withdrawing cash over several hours at each location, with the largest theft totaling $136,000 from an ATM in Fairfield, Connecticut.
- One targeted ATM had a software patch that prevented theft, but the others were successfully robbed, highlighting vulnerabilities in ATM security exploited by the suspects.
