Anibal Canelon Aguirre Biography: ATM Jackpotting Boss and Most-Wanted Fugitive
Our independent investigation shows that Anibal Alexander Canelon Aguirre, sometimes called “Prometheus” or “The Engineer,” is a Venezuelan national in his late forties who rose to become a key technical and organizational figure inside the Tren de Aragua criminal network.
Tren de Aragua started in Venezuelan prisons and spread across Latin America and into the United States; the U.S. government has designated it a foreign terrorist organization.
The plain truth is that since at least January 2024, and building on earlier jackpotting activity that goes back years, Canelon Aguirre is accused of leading a sophisticated international conspiracy that sends crews into the United States to attack automated teller machines.
The method is called jackpotting: malware is installed on the machines so they dispense large amounts of cash on command. The stolen money then moves through layered laundering networks that ultimately benefit Tren de Aragua.
Losses from these attacks across the country have run into the tens of millions of dollars.
Federal Charges and Ten Most Wanted Listing
On December 9, 2025, a federal arrest warrant was issued in the U.S. District Court for the District of Nebraska charging him with conspiracy to commit bank fraud, conspiracy to commit bank burglary and intentionally damage a protected computer system, conspiracy to commit money laundering, and conspiracy to provide material support to terrorists.
On March 12–13, 2026, the FBI placed him on the Ten Most Wanted Fugitives list—the first person ever added primarily for cyber-related crimes.
The reward is up to one million dollars for information that leads directly to his arrest.
Canelon Aguirre has ties to Venezuela and Mexico and speaks Spanish. Authorities consider him armed and dangerous.
As it stands right now, he remains at large while dozens of lower-level participants in the same scheme have already been arrested and some sentenced.
