A ruthless ATM scammer has been charged with stealing over $2.6 million in a brazen ‘jackpotting’ scheme that spread across the country, leaving a trail of devastated banks and credit unions in its wake.
Carlos Luis Vera La Cruz, 44, of Miami, was slapped with an eight-count indictment after his arrest, charging him with conspiracy, bank larceny, accessing a protected computer in furtherance of fraud, and attempting to access a protected computer in furtherance of fraud, announced U.S. Attorney Phillip A. Talbert.
The indictment, brought on April 18, 2024, also charges a second individual, whose name remains under seal, adding to the mystery surrounding this high-stakes scheme.
Court documents reveal Vera La Cruz and his co-conspirators used malware to infect ATMs at targeted banks and credit unions around the country, forcing the machines to dispense cash without a valid transaction.
As part of this scheme, Vera La Cruz targeted seven ATMs belonging to a bank in and around Redding and Chico, California, stealing a whopping $291,820 in June 2023.
This massive heist is just a small fraction of the over $2,615,766 in stolen cash that Vera La Cruz and his co-conspirators have successfully swiped from banks and credit unions in multiple states.
The case is the result of a lengthy investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, with assistance from the U.S. Secret Service. Assistant U.S. Attorney Elliot C. Wong is prosecuting the case, which promises to bring Vera La Cruz to justice and put an end to this brazen scheme.
If convicted, Vera La Cruz faces a maximum statutory penalty of 10 years in prison and a $250,000 fine for bank larceny, as well as a maximum statutory penalty of five years in prison and a $250,000 fine for the counts of conspiracy and for each count of accessing a protected computer in furtherance of fraud.
The charges against Vera La Cruz are only allegations, and he is presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
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Key Facts
- State: California
- Agency: DOJ USAO
- Category: Cybercrime|Fraud & Financial Crimes
- Source: Official Source ↗
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