Venezuelan Cartel Cyber Leader Arrested for $5 Million ATM Heist

US authorities have arrested Anibal Alexander Canelon Aguirre, a leader of the Tren de Aragua cartel, for orchestrating ATM jackpotting attacks using the Ploutus-D malware. These attacks targeted over 117 banks and credit unions in the US, resulting in $5.1 million in stolen funds between 2024 and 2025. The cartel laundered proceeds through cryptocurrency networks, including TRON, to obscure the illicit transactions. The FBI and other agencies are actively dismantling the entire jackpotting network, with over 73 cartel members already in custody. The Ploutus malware, first detected in 2013, allows attackers to physically implant malware into ATMs, remotely control them, and dispense cash to money mules.