54 Charged in US Over ATM Attacks Involving ‘Ploutus’ Malware

According to SecurityWeek, the US Department of Justice has announced charges against 54 individuals over a large ATM jackpotting scheme that used the Ploutus malware family. The suspects are described as leaders and members of the Venezuelan crime syndicate Tren de Aragua, with Jimena Romina Araya Navarro named as an alleged leader who has been sanctioned by the Treasury Department.

Investigators say the group deployed Ploutus on targeted ATMs to steal millions of dollars, bypassing ATM security and forcing machines to dispense cash on command. Those charged face between 20 and 335 years in prison for bank fraud, burglary, computer fraud and hacking, reflecting the severity of the offences. The DoJ indicates the Ploutus malware has been around for more than a decade, and a map of ATM jackpotting incidents in the US as of August 2025 suggests attacks were discovered recently.