The US Department of Justice says it’s apprehended six men accused of stealing over $400,000 from ATMs in New York.
The men allegedly used a device to infect the New York ATMs with malware, forcing them to dispense all the cash they contain in a relatively short period of time in a sophisticated scheme known as “jackpotting.”
The DOJ says the men are all from Venezuela and four of them entered the country illegally through the Mexican border, reports The Post-Standard.
The other two also entered from Mexico and were granted temporary permission under parole.
The group allegedly hit multiple machines over the course of several days in Onondaga, Broome, and Chenango counties, extracting the money directly from the lenders’ stockpiles and not from customers.
All six men face charges for conspiracy and bank larceny, with four facing additional charges in other states.
In June, the US Secret Service said jackpotting attempts are on the rise in at least 15 states with multiple ATM manufacturers’ brands hit.
The crimes are believed to have been perpetrated by at least seven different criminal groups.
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