The U.S. Department of the Treasury announced Wednesday that it has sanctioned ten individuals and two Mexico‑based companies tied to a transnational criminal network accused of stealing more than $40 million from American banks through an ATM “jackpotting” scheme. The designations were made by the Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC), the Treasury’s sanctions‑enforcement arm.
Key figures and accusations
OFAC identified the operation’s leader as Anibal Alexander Canelon Aguirre, known as “Prometheus,” who is listed among the FBI’s ten most‑wanted fugitives. Prometheus is alleged to run the network from Mexico and Venezuela, installing malware on automated teller machines across the United States that forces the machines to dispense cash without debiting any account.
Also designated was Juan Gabriel Rivas Nunez, known as “Juancho,” described as a senior Tren de Aragua leader who directs operations in several South American countries, including gold mining, narcotics exporting, and violent crime. The Treasury noted that Tren de Aragua was designated a Foreign Terrorist Organization on February 20, 2025, after previously being labeled a Transnational Criminal Organization in July 2024.
Trump administration’s response
“President Trump’s administration will not allow terrorist organizations like Tren de Aragua to exploit the U.S. financial system or enrich themselves through theft and other criminal activity targeting American individuals and businesses,” Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said. “Working alongside our law‑enforcement partners, we will continue to use all tools available to deny these terrorist financial facilitators the resources they need to operate, weakening their overall criminal enterprise and protecting the integrity of the U.S. economy.”
Scope of the scheme
According to Treasury data, reported losses from ATM jackpotting attacks in the United States totaled $40.73 million as of August 2025, spread across more than 1,500 incidents. Stolen funds are moved among Tren de Aragua members and associates, in part through cryptocurrency transactions used to launder the money.
Since October 21, 2025, the Department of Justice has indicted 98 individuals in connection with ATM jackpotting schemes. Charges range from material support to a designated foreign terrorist organization to bank burglary, bank fraud, money laundering, and unauthorized access to protected computers. Convictions could carry sentences from 20 to 335 years in prison.
Additional designations
OFAC also sanctioned two Mexico‑based companies: Enigma Community, S. de R.L. de C.V., owned by Martinez Pirona, and Soluciones Integrales Toluca, S.A. de C.V., owned by Alejandro Mejía Castillo. Both firms are alleged to have facilitated the network’s operations.
Prometheus and several associates—including Carlos Javier Martinez Armenta, Alejandro Mejía Castillo, José Darío Galeano Bazurto, Eric Gabriel Cárdenas Arzola, Oscar Leonardo Martínez Pirona, Anthony Wuiliam Hernández Guerrero, and Aslhy Javier Galeano Basurto—were indicted in the U.S. District Court for the District of Nebraska. Martinez Armenta is reported to have transacted directly with the late head of Tren de Aragua, Hector Rusthenford Guerrero Flores.
Coordinated law‑enforcement effort
The Treasury emphasized that the sanctions are part of a coordinated effort involving the FBI, Homeland Security Investigations, the Financial Crimes Enforcement Network, the Justice Department’s Joint Task Force Vulcan, and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Nebraska. Since 2025, the government has taken more than 30 actions against over 300 individuals and entities linked to transnational criminal organizations.
As a result of the designations, all property and interests in property of the sanctioned individuals and entities within U.S. jurisdiction are blocked, and U.S. persons are generally prohibited from conducting transactions with them.
Original reporting: The Dallas Express — read the source article.
