Four Men Arrested for Alleged ATM Jackpotting Scheme in Connecticut
Federal prosecutors in Connecticut have charged four men with participating in an elaborate "jackpotting" scheme that targeted ATMs at rest stops along Interstate 95. The group allegedly stole more than $529,000 during a 10-day spree in August 2025.
According to a press release issued on Monday by the US attorney’s office, the men targeted at least nine cash machines between August 8 and August 18, 2025. They used specialized hardware and malware to manipulate the ATMs, forcing the machines to dispense an almost unlimited amount of cash.
In one notable incident at a northbound rest stop on I-95 in Fairfield, the group reportedly withdrew $136,000. Overall, court documents state that the defendants obtained $529,220 from eight ATMs during the period. A software patch installed to prevent such thefts successfully blocked their attempt at an ATM in Ansonia on the first day of the spree.
Details of the Suspects and Their Methods
The four men are residents of different states: two live in New York, one in North Carolina, and one in Massachusetts. All are citizens of Venezuela. The US attorney’s office identified them as Euclides Moreno Itanare, 28; Willian Ricardo Flores, 49; Alberto Jose Freites Arvilla, 41; and Luis Jose Freites Arvilla, 38.
The press release described the group’s modus operandi:
“For each of the thefts, the pattern of behavior was similar.”
“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 of the ATM, and then left the area.”
“Over the course of several hours, Luis Freites Arvilla, Itanare, and Flores then took turns withdrawing cash from the ATM.”
The group also took measures to avoid detection. The press release noted:
“The defendants sometimes changed clothes in an attempt to avoid suspicion when approaching the same ATM multiple times.”
Investigation and Charges
The four men were arrested on Thursday following a joint investigation conducted by the FBI, Connecticut state police, and the police departments of Raleigh, North Carolina, and New York. They remain in custody awaiting court proceedings.
The charges include interstate transportation of stolen property, which carries a maximum prison sentence of 10 years, and conspiracy, punishable by up to five years in prison if convicted.
Photographs released by the US attorney’s office, reportedly taken by the suspects, show the men working on ATM machines and displaying large amounts of cash they obtained.
Context and Warnings
This case follows warnings issued by two of the world’s largest ATM manufacturers and the US Secret Service about cybercriminals targeting ATMs with malicious software to extract cash illicitly.
