2 months ago
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MERCED COUNTY, Calif. (KSEE/KGPE) - Two radical from Venezuela were indicted Thursday successful transportation with a conspiracy to bargain currency from ATMs successful Merced and Tulare counties, arsenic good arsenic six different occidental states, the United States Department of Justice said.
The DOJ says 25-year-old Joel Alejandro Morantes Leal of San Cristóbal, Venezuela and 22-year-old Endis Daniel Gonzalez Ortega, besides from Venezuela, were charged successful a conspiracy to bargain currency from ATMs successful Merced and Tulare counties, arsenic good arsenic six different occidental states.
Morantes was besides charged with 1 number of slope robbery, 1 number of accessing a protected machine successful furtherance of fraud and 3 counts of attempting to entree a protected machine successful furtherance of fraud, according to the DOJ.
Court documents authorities that Morantes and Gonzalez were engaged successful an ATM "jackpotting" conspiracy betwixt April 1 and May 29. The brace is accused of stealing wealth from ATMs astatine targeted banks and recognition unions by affecting the ATMs with malware and causing them to dispense wealth without a valid transaction.
Additionally, the DOJ said they worked with others, targeting ATMs successful California, Arizona, Colorado, Oregon, Nebraska, Utah and Washington. The brace and their co-conspirators jackpotted oregon attempted to jackpot much than 30 ATMs, receiving hundreds of thousands of dollars.
The DOJ reports that the brace stole astir $94,800 successful currency during an incidental successful April astatine a recognition national successful Merced County.
This is an ongoing investigation. If convicted, Morantes and Gonzalez look a maximum statutory punishment of 5 years successful situation and a $250,000 fine.
If convicted of slope robbery, Morantes faces 10 years successful situation and a $250,000 fine. If convicted of accessing oregon attempting to entree a protected machine successful furtherance of fraud, helium faces 5 years successful situation and a $250,000 good for each count.
