The Department of Justice (DOJ) and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Massachusetts has charged two Venezuelan nationals in the U.S. illegally over an ATM “jackpotting” theft scheme resulting in millions in losses to financial institutions and the federal government.
This crime is part of a trend where short-term visas are used by foreign criminals and migrants to scam and rob Americans via Medicare fraud, trucking, burglaries, phone fraud, white-collar jobs, and other schemes. The migrants enter the U.S., perpetrate their crimes, then escape back home with their stolen loot, ending up beyond the reach of U.S. law enforcement officials.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office says officials in Augusta, Maine, arrested Moises Alejandro Martinez Gutierrez and Lestter Guerrero, both 29, who they say operated a scheme using computer software to force ATMs to output their entire inventory of cash in one shot. The pair have been charged with conspiracy to commit bank theft. They will make their appearance in federal court in Boston at a date still to be determined.
The feds also allege that the pair are Tren de Aragua gang members.
“According to court filings, TdA’s criminal activities include human smuggling, extortion, drug trafficking, kidnapping, and robbery,” a February 26 statement reads. “TdA has developed revenue sources through a range of criminal activities, including ATM jackpotting to steal millions of dollars from financial institutions. Jackpotting proceeds are typically distributed amongst TdA members and associates to conceal its derivation. TdA members often are instructed to split the proceeds from a jackpot operation with 50 percent earmarked and sent to TdA leadership in Venezuela and 50 percent divided among subjects conducting ground operations.”
Prosecutors say the pair perpetrated their schemes in the following locations: Norwich, CT; Rochester, NH; Coventry, RI; Stoneham and Braintree, MA; and other areas across New England.
The charge of conspiring to commit bank theft provides for a sentence of up to five years in prison, up to three years of supervised release, and a fine of up to $250,000.
Various forms of fraud by migrants, both legal and illegal, is widespread.
This week, the administrator of the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) Dr. Mehmet Oz, noted that foreign scammers have “weaponized fraud.”
Concerning Medicaid fraud, Oz said that foreign nationals come to the U.S., set up fake medical service companies, then they bill the U.S. government’s Medicaid program for millions in services and materials that were never provided.
“Many of these businesses are owned by Cuban nationals, by the way. They bill falsely for $5 million for a month of fake stuff. They flee back to Cuba. We try to go after the money. It’s already gone. It’s been shipped overseas, and everyone’s looking around to see who’s the last guy standing,” he said.
“This fraud is weaponized… we can’t allow it to continue,” Dr. Oz exclaimed.
Cubans, likely under the control of Cuba’s communist government, are not the only ones engaging in such massive fraud. Somalians in Ohio, Minnesota, and other places are also stealing billions in U.S. aid funding. As are Venezuelans, Chinese, other Africans, and a host of other nations, all of which have targeted the U.S. for how easy it has been to steal millions from federal and state welfare programs.
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