Feds charge 87 individuals in massive ATM ‘jackpotting’ operation linked to Tren de Aragua gang

At least 87 individuals connected to the Venezuelan terrorist organization Tren de Aragua (TdA) have been indicted for a massive scheme in which members allegedly stole millions of dollars from ATMs nationwide, a crime commonly known as “ATM jackpotting.”

The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Nebraska announced Monday 31 new defendants, joining 56 others previously charged in a major Homeland Security Task Force operation.

The criminal ring, largely composed of Venezuelan and Colombian nationals and TdA members, used the stolen funds to fuel its terrorist activity, including human trafficking, sex trafficking of children, kidnapping, murder and “other unspeakably evil and violent acts,” according to U.S. Attorney Lesley A. Woods for the District of Nebraska.

“Tren de Aragua is a complex terrorist organization that commits serious financial crimes in addition to horrific rapes, murders, and drug trafficking,” Attorney General Pamela Bondi said in a statement.

JUSTICE DEPARTMENT UNSEALS MULTI-STATE INDICTMENTS AGAINST TREN DE ARAGUA LEADERS FOR VIOLENT CRIMES

“This Department of Justice has already prosecuted more than 290 members of Tren de Aragua and will continue working tirelessly to put these vicious terrorists behind bars after the prior administration let them infiltrate our country,” she added.

January’s indictment alleges 32 counts involving bank fraud, bank burglary, computer fraud and damage to computers.

ALLEGED TREN DE ARAGUA BOSS ADDED TO FBI’S MOST WANTED, SANCTIONED BY TREASURY: ‘NO BORDER WILL SHIELD HIM’

According to the Justice Department, members allegedly hacked into ATMs and forced machines to dispense cash by deploying a malware variant known as Ploutus, which was designed to delete evidence of its presence in an effort to conceal the crime.

US ACCUSES VENEZUELAN REGIME OF NARCO-TERRORISM OVER ALLIANCES WITH TREN DE ARAGUA, SINALOA CARTEL 

Officials said members arrived at targeted banks and credit unions to scout ATMs and note any external security features. The groups would then open the hood or door of the machines and wait to determine whether an alarm or a law enforcement response had been triggered. Once clear, the groups installed malware by removing the hard drive and installing the software directly, replacing the hard drive with one preloaded with Ploutus, or connecting an external device, such as a thumb drive, to deploy the malware.

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The update follows two similar indictments last year in December and October. The total 87 individuals involved face a range of federal offenses, including material support to a designated foreign terror organization, bank burglary, bank fraud, money laundering, damage and unauthorized access to protected computers, and conspiracy to commit the same offenses.

Thune promises ‘safe streets, more money in pockets’ as GOP senators hit the road to tout tax cuts

FIRST ON FOX: Republican senators are hitting the road to sell the Working Families Tax Cuts Act in meetings with local business owners and families, Senate Majority Leader John Thune highlighted.

More than a dozen senators, including Thune, have held events in multiple states during separate trips, including to Texas, West Virginia, Arkansas, Pennsylvania, Oklahoma, Nebraska, Ohio, Florida and Louisiana.

“When Joe Biden and Democrats had unified control of government, they created open borders and high prices,” Thune told Fox News Digital. “Republicans, on the other hand, have delivered safe streets, more money in pockets, and new opportunities to get ahead through the historic Working Families Tax Cuts.”

“Now we need to make sure the American people know it. Republicans will be hitting the ground hard in 2026 to sell our accomplishments and continue building on our work with the Trump-Vance administration to create a safe, strong, and prosperous America,” Thune added.

BIG BEAUTIFUL BILL IMMEDIATELY HITS THE CAMPAIGN TRAIL IN BATTLE FOR CONGRESS

The GOP senators who have held events are John Cornyn of Texas, John Barrasso of Wyoming, Bill Cassidy of Louisiana, Jim Justice of West Virginia, Pete Ricketts of Nebraska, Shelley Moore Capito of West Virginia, John Boozman of Arkansas, Dave McCormick of Pennsylvania, Dan Sullivan of Arkansas, James Lankford of Oklahoma, Katie Britt of Alabama, Ashley Moody of Florida, Jon Husted of Ohio and Rick Scott of Florida.

Senate candidates Mike Rogers and Michael Whatley also joined Thune, Cornyn, Barrasso and Husted during a trip to the southern border in early January to see progress made on improving national security. The Working Families Tax Cuts Act, also known as the One Big Beautiful Bill Act, included a roughly $165 billion investment for immigration and border security efforts, including $46.5 billion for funding for the border wall.

Other senators met with local businesses in their respective states to discuss how the bill could benefit local communities.

BESSENT BLASTS DEMOCRAT-LED STATES FOR BLOCKING TRUMP TAX RELIEF IN OBBBA

“This week, I visited Kamp A Demics Learning Center, one of Montgomery’s child care centers, where I toured the facility and read to some of the precious children,” Britt posted to X. “I also participated in a roundtable discussion on the updated child care tax credits I secured in the Working Families Tax Cuts Act and my continued work to address our child care crisis.”

“I’m grateful for the opportunity to speak with restaurant owners and community leaders about Republicans’ Working Families Tax Cuts Act — a law that will eliminate taxes on tips and overtime,” Husted posted to X with photos highlighting the event that took place in Ohio. 

The bill passed the Senate on July 1, 2025, and Trump signed it into law on July 4, 2025.

THE BATTLE OVER THE ‘BIG, BEAUTIFUL BILL’ MOVES FROM CAPITOL HILL TO THE CAMPAIGN TRAIL

The Tax Foundation estimates that the legislation includes $3,752 in tax cuts for the average taxpayer in the U.S. in 2026, with the highest savings in Teton County, Wyoming, seeing an estimated $37,373 per taxpayer in 2026. 

The basis for the tax cuts come from an extension of provisions in the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act, which was signed into law by Trump during his first term. The TCJA doubled the standard deduction for single and married jointly filing households, and reduced income tax rates, with the top rate falling from 39.6% to 37%.

The One Big Beautiful Bill Act (OBBBA) also extended a Child Tax Credit that was part of the TCJA, which reduces how much income tax a family owes for each qualifying child, up to $2,500 per child, per year.

CONGRESS DELIVERS ONE BIG, BEAUTIFUL WIN FOR THE MIDDLE CLASS

Thune joined Cassidy at a restaurant in Louisiana to talk with servers and employees about how the “no tax on tips” portion of the OBBBA would put more money in their pockets.

The main portion of the OBBBA that is new from the TCJA extensions excludes qualified tip income from federal income tax up to $25,000 per year, and excludes qualified overtime income from federal income tax up to $12,500 for single filers and $25,000 for marriages filing jointly. Payroll taxes still apply to tips and overtime, and benefits will eventually be phased out in 2028.

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Critics of the legislation point to a reduction in federal income, thus increasing national debt in the short term, and the shifting of Medicaid costs to states rather than the federal government.

The Tax Foundation also estimates that the bill will create roughly 938,000 full-time equivalent jobs over the long run.

Carney pushes back on Trump’s 100% tariff threat over China trade deals with Canada amid tensions

Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney said Sunday that Canada has no plans to pursue a free trade deal with China, pushing back against President Trump’s threat to slap 100% tariffs on Canadian goods.

Carney said Canada’s recent agreement with China only rolled back tariffs in a few sectors that had been hit in recent years and did not amount to a free trade deal. He noted that under the U.S.–Mexico–Canada Agreement, Canada has committed not to pursue free trade agreements with nonmarket economies without prior notification.

“We have no intention of doing that with China or any other nonmarket economy,” Carney said. “What we have done with China is to rectify some issues that developed in the last couple of years.”

Carney made his first official visit to China earlier this month as he and Chinese President Xi Jinping work together to forge an improved bond between their countries. The leaders reached an agreement that would allow up to 49,000 Chinese electric vehicles to enter the Canadian market at a lower tariff rate of 6.1%, Carney’s office said.

US TRADE REP SHRUGS OFF WORLD LEADERS’ SWIPES AT TRUMP AMID DAVOS BACKLASH

In 2024, Canada matched U.S. trade policy by imposing a 100% tariff on Chinese electric vehicles and a 25% tariff on steel and aluminum. China retaliated with 100% duties on Canadian canola oil and meal and 25% tariffs on pork and seafood.

Trump issued his tariff threat in a social media post, warning that if Carney “thinks he is going to make Canada a ‘Drop Off Port’ for China to send goods and products into the United States, he is sorely mistaken.”

TRUMP WARNS CANADA OF 100% TARIFFS IF IT BECOMES CHINA’S ‘DROP OFF PORT’ WITH NEW POTENTIAL TRADE DEAL

In another post on Sunday, Trump claimed Canada is being taken over by China.

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“China is successfully and completely taking over the once Great Country of Canada,” Trump’s post read. “So sad to see it happen. I only hope they leave Ice Hockey alone!”