Four men have been arrested and charged for allegedly stealing over $529,000 in an elaborate 'jackpotting' scheme targeting ATMs at rest stops along Interstate 95 in Connecticut, according to federal prosecutors. The group targeted at least nine cash machines during a 10-day spree in August 2025, as detailed in a press release on Monday by the US attorney's office for the District of Connecticut.
Details of the Scheme
Prosecutors allege that the men used specialized hardware and malware to corrupt the ATMs, forcing them to dispense an almost unlimited amount of cash. In one instance at a northbound rest stop on I-95 in Fairfield, the gang stole $136,000. Their total haul reached $529,220 from eight ATMs between August 8 and August 18, 2025, according to court documents. A software patch installed to prevent such robberies thwarted the alleged robbers at another machine in Ansonia on the first day of the spree.
Suspects and Charges
Two of the men live in New York, one is from North Carolina, and the fourth is a resident of Massachusetts. All four are citizens of Venezuela, said the attorney's office, which named them as Euclides Moreno Itanare, 28; Willian Ricardo Flores, 49; Alberto Jose Freites Arvilla, 41; and Luis Jose Freites Arvilla, 38. They face federal charges including interstate transportation of stolen property, which carries a maximum prison term of 10 years, and conspiracy, punishable by up to five years if convicted.
Pattern of Behavior
According to the press release, the pattern of behavior was similar for each theft. Surveillance video shows that while Luis Freites Arvilla acted as a lookout, Alberto Freites Arvilla opened the hood of the ATM, accessed the internal components, and then left the area. Over several hours, Luis Freites Arvilla, Itanare, and Flores took turns withdrawing cash from the ATM. The group also made efforts to disguise their appearance, sometimes changing clothes to avoid suspicion when approaching the same ATM multiple times.
Investigation and Arrests
The four were arrested on Thursday following a joint investigation by the FBI, Connecticut state police, and the police departments of Raleigh, North Carolina, and New York. They remain in custody awaiting court proceedings. Photographs released by the US attorney's office, said to have been taken by the alleged robbers, show the men tinkering with ATM machines and displaying large wads of cash.
Context and Warnings
The Guardian reported in 2018 that two of the world's largest ATM manufacturers and the US Secret Service had warned that cybercriminals were targeting machines with nefarious software to extract cash. This case highlights the ongoing threat of 'jackpotting' attacks, which exploit vulnerabilities in ATM systems to steal large sums of money.
