The Trump administration captured Aníbal Canelón Aguirre in Venezuela, accused of ATM attacks, money laundering, and financial support for the Tren de Aragua
The FBI announced the capture in Venezuela of Aníbal Alexander Canelón Aguirre, alias ''El Ingeniero'', one of the fugitives on the agency's ''Ten Most Wanted'' list. The Venezuelan is accused by U.S. authorities of being the alleged leader of a broad international conspiracy dedicated to stealing millions of dollars from financial institutions through cyberattacks on ATMs, with part of the funds intended to support the Tren de Aragua.
The director of the FBI, Kash Patel, confirmed the arrest during a hearing before the Senate Judiciary Committee and emphasized that Canelón Aguirre had been a fugitive for years. According to Patel, the detainee was located over the last weekend in Venezuela and will be transferred to the United States to face federal charges against him.
The capture allowed the FBI to complete the arrest of the ten fugitives that were on its high-priority list during the current presidential term. Patel corrected the committee chairman, Republican Senator Chuck Grassley, during the hearing, who had previously stated that the agency had located nine of the ten criminals.
''We captured ten,'' Patel stated, before noting that the arrest of Canelón Aguirre represented the last outstanding case on that list. The FBI director presented the outcome as a demonstration of the agency's ability to locate high-priority targets even when they remain outside U.S. territory.
The FBI announced the capture of one of the ten fugitives wanted on the federal agency's list, who was accused of financing the Tren de Aragua
Canelón Aguirre was added to the Ten Most Wanted list in March 2026. The FBI identified him at that time as the alleged leader of a structure that sent multiple teams to the United States to steal large amounts of money from financial institutions and support the Tren de Aragua. The agency had offered a reward of up to one million dollars for information leading directly to his arrest.
The investigation focuses on the method known as ''ATM jackpotting.'' This method involves using malware or other techniques to alter the functioning of ATMs and cause them to dispense stored cash without an authorized transaction. The Department of Justice has documented several cases related to this method and with members or alleged members of the Tren de Aragua during 2026.
In January, federal prosecutors reported that an international investigation had reached 87 defendants for a conspiracy to use malware and steal millions of dollars from ATMs in the United States. Authorities indicated that many of the defendants were Venezuelan and Colombian citizens and that some were linked to the Tren de Aragua. The charges included bank fraud, bank robbery, computer crimes, and money laundering.
The U.S. Department of Justice noted that the method used by Canelón Aguirre has been employed by multiple Venezuelan defendants
The scope of the operations was also reflected in sentences handed down this year. In June, two Venezuelan citizens received 78-month prison sentences each for participating in a conspiracy that used malware to attack ATMs and steal millions of dollars. The Department of Justice described these operations as part of a transnational criminal network.
Other processes have allowed U.S. authorities to identify similar mechanisms. In Mississippi, for example, federal prosecutors noted that individuals linked to the Tren de Aragua traveled between different locations to reprogram ATMs and obtain cash. One of the defendants was convicted and became subject to deportation proceedings after serving his sentence.
In the case of Canelón Aguirre, the federal charges include conspiracy to commit bank fraud, conspiracy to commit bank robbery and intentionally damage protected computer systems, conspiracy to launder money, and conspiracy to provide material support to terrorists. These are allegations and must be determined by U.S. federal court.
The operation also reinforces international cooperation among U.S. agencies to pursue suspects who remain outside the country. The capture in Venezuela of a target who was among the FBI's top fugitives now allows Canelón Aguirre to be brought before U.S. courts and formally face the charges against him.
The FBI director stated that the accused had been a fugitive for years and will be transferred to the United States to face federal justice
