Venezuelan Illegal Aliens Indicted for ‘ATM Jackpotting’ Scheme, Stealing $400,000

Venezuelan Illegal Aliens Indicted for ‘ATM Jackpotting’ Scheme, Stealing $400,000

With the election drawing close, I must remember to keep an eye on immigration.

The U.S. Attorney’s Office, Northern District of New York, indicted six Venezuelans, all illegal aliens, in connection with an “ATM Jackpotting” scheme and stealing $400,000.

The men are:

• Joelvis Jose Rivas-Solorzano
• Silvio Fabian-Ordonez
• Jose Medina
• Jose Navarro
• Deivy Santiago Pena-Rojas
• Jefferson Jose Marquez-Marquez

“‘ATM jackpotting’ is the exploitation of physical and software vulnerabilities in ATMs that result in the machines dispensing cash to unauthorized fraudsters,” explained the office. “Typically, during ATM jackpotting events one or two people use a key to access the inside of an ATM to install a foreign device that allows a hacker to assume control of the ATM. After the ATM is compromised, groups of individuals arrive at the ATM to conduct transactions and the ATM dispenses its cash reserves, which are untethered to any bank account.”

More from the U.S. Attorney’s office:

In December 2023, several financial institutions in the Northern District of New York became victims of an ATM Jackpotting scheme. In total, over $400,000.00 was stolen during four separate ATM jackpotting events in Onondaga, Broome, and Chenango counties.

Joelvis Jose Rivas-Solorzano, Silvio Fabian-Ordonez, Jose Medina, Jose Navarro, and Deivy Santiago Pena-Rojas have all been arrested and are in custody in the Northern District of New York. Jefferson Jose Marquez-Marquez is in custody in South Dakota and is awaiting transport to the Northern District of New York.

The charges to which Joelvis Jose Rivas-Solorzano, Silvio Fabian-Ordonez, Jose Medina, Jose Navarro, Deivy Santiago Pena-Rojas, Jefferson Jose Marquez-Marquez face carry a maximum sentence of 5 or 10 years, a fine of up to $250,000 million, and a supervised release term of up to 3 years. The charges in the indictment are merely accusations, and the defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.

Unfortunately, this “jackpotting” has been happening across the country.

There are no links that we know of to the infamous Venezuelan gang Tren de Aragua that has taken over apartment buildings in Aurora, CO.

However, when I researched jackpotting in the states, I found the majority of those behind the crime came from Venezuela.

Ouachita Parish Sheriff’s Office in Louisiana arrested Josue Rosendo, a Venezuelan illegal alien, for tampering with ATMs:

On October 12, 2024, Ouachita Parish Sheriff’s Office responded to ATM burglaries around 1:30 PM at Ouachita Valley Federal Credit Union on Old Sterlington Road in Monroe, La., and another at Monroe Teleco Bank, on Cypress Street in West Monroe. Authorities learned that the suspect was driving a white Hyundai Santa Fe. Deputies then searched the area on October 13, 2024, and found the suspect’s vehicle, identifying the driver as Richard Josue Rosendo.

According to deputies, Rosendo allegedly admitted to both incidents and was charged and booked at the Ouachita Correctional Center for Two Counts of Tampering with Surveillance, Accounting, Inventory, or Monitoring System, and Two Counts of Theft or Criminal Access of an Automated Teller Machine.

In Wisconsin, authorities arrested six people with Venezuelan passports in connection with an ATM theft:

In one vehicle there were three people: Jesse Duque-Escobar, who had a Venezuelan passport, and a universal ATM key; Johamnel Ortz-Sanchez, who also had a Venezuelan passport and $2,000 in $20 bills; and Manuel Alejandro (charged as Manuel Pina-Gonzalez), who had Venezuelan identification.

A subsequent search of the vehicle found a mobile wi-fi device, laptop, and USB cables. The vehicle had a Washington state license plate.

In the second vehicle there were three people: Adony Dalis-Ramirez, who had a Florida ID; Yeniaker Avila-Acevedo, who had a Venezuelan passport; and Andres Escobar-Rodriguez, who had Venezuelan identification. The vehicle had a Texas license plate, the complaint states.

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