FBI’s First Cyber Fugitive on Ten Most Wanted Returns From Venezuela

A Venezuelan man accused of leading a Tren de Aragua cybercrime operation—and who became the FBI’s first cyber fugitive placed on its Ten Most Wanted list—has returned to the United States after being captured overseas last month.

Anibal Alexander Canelon Aguirre, 50, who also used the names “Prometheus” and “The Engineer,” appeared in a Nebraska courtroom Friday to face allegations linked to a multimillion-dollar ATM “jackpotting” scheme.

Aguirre pleaded not guilty to four federal conspiracy charges during his initial appearance. He will remain in custody in Nebraska while awaiting trial, the Department of Justice said.

FBI Director Kash Patel described Aguirre’s return as the 10th capture of a fugitive featured on the Ten Most Wanted list since the start of the Trump administration. He is also the first cyber fugitive ever added to the list.

“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.”

Patel said the 10 captures represent more than 2½ times the total recorded over the previous four years.

Aguirre was arrested in Venezuela last month. Patel later told lawmakers that the FBI had captured one of the country’s most wanted fugitives.

The FBI previously told News Outlet that Aguirre led “a large international conspiracy to steal millions of dollars from financial institutions in support of the Tren de Aragua, through an ATM jackpotting scheme since at least 2024.”

An ATM “jackpotting” attack is a form of cybercrime in which criminals exploit vulnerabilities in an automated teller machine, often with malware, to make it dispense cash, according to the DOJ.

Prosecutors allege that Canelon Aguirre created malicious software and served as one of the leaders of the ATM jackpotting conspiracy.

According to the DOJ, the wider ATM jackpotting operation has been connected to Tren de Aragua, which the United States has designated as a foreign terrorist organization.

Attorney General Todd Blanche said the DOJ has charged nearly 350 alleged Tren de Aragua members and associates since the group received 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.”

Aguirre is charged with four conspiracy offenses involving bank fraud, bank burglary and computer fraud, money laundering, and providing material support to terrorists.

The bank fraud conspiracy count carries the most severe potential sentence: up to 30 years in federal prison, according to the DOJ.