A Venezuelan man accused of leading a multimillion-dollar ATM jackpotting conspiracy for the Tren de Aragua gang is back on U.S. soil after his capture in Venezuela, marking the first time a cyber fugitive placed on the FBI's Ten Most Wanted list has been returned to face charges.
Anibal Alexander Canelon Aguirre, 50, also known as «Prometheus» and «The Engineer,» appeared in a Nebraska courtroom Friday and pleaded not guilty to four federal conspiracy charges, according to the Department of Justice. He will remain detained in Nebraska while awaiting trial.
The charges include bank fraud, bank burglary and computer fraud, money laundering, and providing material support to terrorists. The bank fraud conspiracy count carries the highest maximum penalty at 30 years in prison.
Prosecutors allege Canelon Aguirre developed malicious software and served as one of the leaders of a scheme to steal millions of dollars from financial institutions in support of Tren de Aragua since at least 2024. The operation used ATM jackpotting, a type of cyberattack in which criminals exploit vulnerabilities in cash machines, often through malware, to force them to dispense money.
FBI Director Kash Patel touted the return as the 10th Ten Most Wanted fugitive captured since the beginning of the Trump administration and the first cyber fugitive ever placed on the list. He said the 10 captures are more than two and a half times the total recorded during the previous four years.
«Now he's back in the United States to face justice,» Patel said. «This FBI is running on supercharged horsepower — and there is nowhere on this planet criminals can hide.»
Canelon Aguirre was apprehended last month in Venezuela. Patel subsequently told lawmakers that the FBI had captured one of the nation's top fugitives.
The broader ATM jackpotting conspiracy has been linked to Tren de Aragua, which the United States has designated as a foreign terrorist organization. Attorney General Todd Blanche said the Justice Department has charged nearly 350 alleged TdA members and associates since that designation.
«The capture and arrest of Anibal Alexander Canelon Aguirre marks yet another success for the Homeland Security Task Force and Joint Task Force Vulcan,» Blanche said. «We will continue to break up narcoterrorist finance networks, prosecute violent criminals, and keep American neighborhoods safe.»
The case reflects a growing intersection of cybercrime and transnational gang activity, in which digital tools are used to finance violent organizations. ATM jackpotting attacks have drawn increasing attention from federal authorities because they can be executed quickly and yield large amounts of cash.
Canelon Aguirre's placement on the Ten Most Wanted list was itself a milestone, as the FBI had never before included a cyber fugitive among its most sought-after suspects. His capture abroad and transfer to the United States underscores the bureau's emphasis on pursuing cybercriminals across borders.
He is scheduled to face trial in Nebraska, where the charges were filed. No trial date has been announced.