OMAHA, Neb. — Federal prosecutors have expanded a sweeping investigation into an international ATM jackpotting conspiracy tied to Tren de Aragua (TdA), adding 31 more defendants in a third Nebraska grand jury indictment that alleges malware-driven attacks on banks and credit unions nationwide.
The latest charges build on earlier indictments covered previously by CUToday.info, which reported that federal authorities had already charged dozens of suspects in a Ploutus-based ATM hacking scheme blamed for millions in losses across U.S. financial institutions.
Fifty-six others have already been charged. Many of the defendants charged in this Homeland Security Task Force operation are Venezuelan and Colombian nationals including illegal alien Tren de Aragua (TdA) members. This indictment alleges 32 counts including conspiracy to commit bank fraud, conspiracy to commit bank burglary and computer fraud, bank fraud, bank burglary, and damage to computers.
“Tren de Aragua is a complex terrorist organization that commits serious financial crimes in addition to horrific rapes, murders, and drug trafficking,” said Attorney General Pamela Bondi. “This Department of Justice has already prosecuted more than 290 members of Tren de Aragua and will continue working tirelessly to put these vicious terrorists behind bars after the prior administration let them infiltrate our country.”
“A large ring of criminal aliens allegedly engaged in a nationwide conspiracy to enrich themselves and the TdA terrorist organization by ripping off American citizens. After committing bank robbery, fraud, and other serious crimes, they will be vigorously prosecuted and held accountable for their crimes,” said Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche. “The Justice Department’s Joint Task Force Vulcan will not stop until it completely dismantles and destroys TdA and other foreign terrorists that import chaos to America.”
“This latest indictment demonstrates the Criminal Division’s commitment to dismantling cartels, including when they attack our nation’s financial systems with sophisticated malware,” said Assistant Attorney General A. Tysen Duva of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division. “The announcement of charges against a total of 87 defendants underscores both the massive scale of these alleged conspiracies and the strength and skill of our investigators and prosecutors who dismantle them. As cartels level up their criminal game, so will we.”
“TdA grew from a prison gang to a transnational criminal organization to a foreign terrorist organization. Using sophisticated malware to empty ATMs and damage U.S. financial institutions that also fund TdA’s terrorist activity will not be tolerated,” said Joint Task Force Vulcan (JTFV) co-Director Chris Eason. “The charges against certain TdA members are directly in line with JTFV’s mission: a collaborative, whole of government effort to destroy TdA. We are grateful for our partnership with the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Nebraska, and our law enforcement partners who worked tirelessly to investigate and bring these important charges.”
The conspiracy allegedly used Ploutus malware to hack ATMs and force unauthorized cash withdrawals, targeting banks and credit unions nationwide. Suspects traveled in coordinated teams to scout ATM security, physically accessed machines, and installed malware by swapping or modifying hard drives or using external devices. The malware was designed both to trigger cash dispensing and erase evidence to avoid detection. Proceeds from the attacks were then split among participants, U.S. Attorney’s Office explained.
The latest indictment builds on a Dec. 9, 2025, federal case that accused Tren de Aragua of running a nationwide ATM jackpotting operation.