A Venezuelan man, Anibal Alexander Canelon Aguirre, 50, has been extradited to the United States to face federal charges. Known by the aliases “Prometheus” and “The Engineer,” Canelon Aguirre is accused of playing a leading role in a multimillion-dollar operation that manipulated ATMs to dispense cash. This operation is allegedly linked to the Tren de Aragua gang, a Venezuelan crime syndicate.
The Justice Department announced that Canelon Aguirre appeared in court before U.S. Magistrate Judge Michael D. Nelson in Nebraska on October 2. He pleaded not guilty to all four charges. These include conspiracy to commit bank fraud, bank burglary and fraud related to computers, money laundering, and providing material support to terrorists. Canelon Aguirre, who was added to the FBI’s Ten Most Wanted Fugitives list, is currently detained in Nebraska pending trial.
Tren de Aragua Connection
Tren de Aragua began as a prison gang in Venezuela and has expanded throughout the Western Hemisphere. U.S. authorities have linked the organization to various crimes, including drug and firearms trafficking, kidnapping, fraud, extortion, and acts of violence. In February 2025, the Trump administration designated Tren de Aragua as a foreign terrorist organization.
Charges and Allegations
Prosecutors allege Canelon Aguirre developed Ploutus malware used in ATM jackpotting, a scheme that forces machines to dispense cash without account debits. Allegedly, the software had protections to hinder forensic analysis and debugging, and files that could delete the malware to avoid detection.
The charges carry severe penalties. The conspiracy to commit bank fraud charge could result in a 30-year prison term and a $1 million fine. The money laundering conspiracy charge may lead to an additional 20 years, while the material-support conspiracy carries a potential 15-year sentence.
Canelon Aguirre remains presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
Broader Investigation
The ATM jackpotting attacks have reportedly occurred in 47 states, Washington, D.C., and other countries. The Justice Department states 120 defendants face charges in Nebraska related to this conspiracy. Three individuals have already been sentenced: Oddry Arnoldo Cabrera Torrealba and Carlos Javier Padron received 78-month sentences, while Juan Manuel Gouveia Aguilera received a 96-month sentence.
FBI’s Ten Most Wanted List
FBI Director Kash Patel noted Canelon Aguirre is the 10th fugitive captured from the Ten Most Wanted list since the Trump administration’s start. However, an MS NOW investigation has scrutinized the FBI’s handling of this list. It reported that several fugitives were added shortly before their arrests, with some captured within 24 hours. The FBI denies these findings, asserting no inaccuracies in their count of arrests.
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