DOJ Indicts Venezuelans in ATM Theft Scheme

The Department of Justice and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Massachusetts have indicted two Venezuelan nationals residing in the U.S. for their roles in an ATM theft scheme that reportedly led to substantial losses for both financial institutions and the federal government.

This incident reflects a troubling trend where foreign criminals exploit temporary visas to orchestrate schemes like Medicare fraud, robbery, and various scams against Americans. These individuals often enter the U.S., commit crimes, and then return home with the stolen money, effectively evading U.S. law enforcement.

In Augusta, Maine, Moises Alejandro Martínez Gutierrez and Lester Guerrero, both 29, were arrested for employing software that prompted an ATM to dispense all its cash at once, according to federal authorities. They now face charges of conspiracy to commit bank theft and are expected to appear in a Boston federal court soon.

Authorities also assert that both men are linked to the Torren de Aragua gang.

As outlined in court documents, this gang is involved in various criminal enterprises, such as human smuggling, extortion, and drug trafficking. They reportedly generate revenue through activities like ATM jackpots, siphoning millions from financial institutions. Profits from these operations are often distributed to gang members with instructions to send half back to their leadership in Venezuela.

Prosecutors contend that the pair executed their scheme across several locations, including Rochester, New Hampshire, Coventry, Rhode Island, and various sites in Massachusetts.

The charge of conspiracy to commit bank theft carries a potential sentence of five years in prison, along with possible fines reaching $250,000.

Instances of immigration fraud, both legal and otherwise, appear to be prevalent.

Dr. Mehmet Oz, head of the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, noted this week that foreign criminals are “weaponizing deception.”

Discussing Medicaid fraud, he explained that some foreign nationals create fraudulent medical service companies, billing the U.S. government for services never rendered, racking up millions in false charges.

“Interestingly, many of these enterprises are operated by Cuban nationals. They’re falsely claiming $5 million for nonexistent services and then fleeing back to Cuba. Efforts to recover that money are complicated, as it’s often already been shipped overseas,” he stated. “This kind of deception, it’s been weaponized. We simply cannot let this persist.”

Notably, it seems that Cubans are not alone in this large-scale fraud. Others, including Somalis in places like Ohio and Minnesota, have also embezzled significant sums from U.S. aid. Venezuelans, Chinese, and individuals from various African nations are similarly taking advantage of welfare programs to siphon funds from the U.S.