Four Venezuelans Charged in Connecticut ATM Scheme

Four individuals from Venezuela are facing charges for allegedly turning an ATM at a rest stop in Connecticut into a cash-dispensing machine, netting over $529,000 within a mere two weeks, as reported by federal prosecutors.

According to the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Connecticut, the suspects targeted ATMs along Interstate 95 and in other regions of Connecticut from August 8 to August 18, 2025. They employed specialized hardware and malware to manipulate the machines into dispensing cash.

The accused include Euclides Moreno Itanare, 28, from Raleigh, North Carolina; Willian Ricardo Flores, 49, from the Bronx, New York; Alberto Jose Freites Arvilla, 41, from Queens, New York; and Luis Jose Freites Alvira, 38, from Lynn, Massachusetts. They were arrested on June 25, charged with interstate transportation of stolen property and conspiracy.

All four are, as prosecutors indicated, Venezuelan nationals.

Federal authorities detailed that the group targeted ATMs in various locations, including Milford and Ansonia, plus rest stops along I-95 in Fairfield, Branford, Madison, and Darien.

One notable incident involved the theft of $136,000 from an ATM at a northbound rest stop in Fairfield, while other thefts included $84,000 from a southbound rest stop in Madison and $66,400 from another in Branford—all contributing to a total exceeding $177,000.

Prosecutors claimed that the gang followed a repetitive method: one member would act as a lookout while another accessed the internal parts of the ATM. They would take turns collecting cash over several hours, returning multiple times to the same machine, sometimes even changing clothes to evade suspicion.

Evidence gathered included surveillance footage, phone records, and various account details, revealing activities that painted a picture of the group’s operations. One suspect’s Apple account reportedly contained images of the ATM they targeted, cash, and, rather damningly, a photo of someone counting money in New York shortly after the theft.

Not every attempt went smoothly for the crew; one effort at a Cumberland Farms ATM in Ansonia failed due to a software patch that prevented such access.

As it stands, all four suspects are currently in custody. If found guilty, they might face a maximum of ten years for the theft charge and five years for conspiracy. The investigation continues, as authorities look into possible connections to other ATM thefts.

The Federal Bureau of Investigation, along with local police forces, is actively pursuing this case.

It’s worth noting that “jackpot” cases—where thieves manipulate ATMs—are reportedly becoming more common in the United States. A recent report indicated that of the 1,900 ATM jackpot cases since 2020, more than 700 occurred in just 2025, accruing losses exceeding $20 million.