BATON ROUGE - Seven Venezuelan nationals were arrested for allegedly tampering with an ATM as part of a "jackpotting scheme" in Baton Rouge, Louisiana State Police Arrest documents say.

Officials said in Dec. 2025, they began investigating an organized criminal group linked to multiple ATM jackpotting attempts across the country. Jackpotting is where criminals hack ATMs and drain the cash. 

The group is based out of Houston and has ties to criminal organizations in Venezuela, Mexico and Spain, arrest documents say. Officials said they were linked to six ATM attacks in the greater Houston area and one in Tennessee.

On Jan. 31, 2026, troopers and East Baton Rouge detectives saw one of the suspects stop at an Essential Credit Union ATM, exit the vehicle, manipulate a panel on the ATM and continue to manipulate the ATM. The suspect then left the area; officials believe this is a common tactic used by the organization to test law enforcement response before theft is committed.

Officials were able to track the suspects to an Airbnb in Breaux Bridge. A search warrant was executed, where officials found tools and items used to commit ATM thefts as well as documentation and evidence of ATM thefts.

The following seven were arrested for theft or criminal access of an automated teller machine and criminal conspiracy: 

- Mauro Brieno-Caldera
- Wildrian Caceres-Bautista
- Wester Dugarte-Goicochea
- Alexis Gonzalez-Rodriguez
- Jeanmar Milla-Parrar 
- Giovanny Yance
- Henry Gonzalez-Guitterez