David Jose Gomez Cegarra, a Venezuelan citizen, was sentenced to time served and ordered to pay $294,820 in restitution after being convicted of bank larceny, U.S. Attorney Michael DiGiacomo announced on May 7. The sentencing took place before U.S. District Judge Lawrence J. Vilardo, who also ordered Gomez Cegarra to be turned over to Immigration and Customs Enforcement.
The case centers on a series of thefts between October 5 and November 11, 2024, during which Gomez Cegarra and several co-conspirators stole more than $290,000 from ATMs in New York, Massachusetts, and Illinois using a method called “ATM Jackpotting.” This technique involves either infecting an ATM’s hard drive with malware or replacing it with an infected one to force the machine to dispense cash.
Specific incidents included the theft of $109,620 from Radius Federal Credit Union in Kenmore, New York; $58,000 from St. Mary’s Federal Credit Union in Framingham, Massachusetts; $21,600 from First National Bank of Dryden in Dryden, New York; and $105,600 from two Community First Bank ATMs in Mount Vernon, Illinois.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jeffrey E. Intravatola and Douglas A.C. Penrose prosecuted the case following an investigation by multiple law enforcement agencies including the Federal Bureau of Investigation as well as police departments from Kenmore (NY), Homer (NY), Framingham (MA), and Mahomet (IL).
The United States Attorney's Office for the Western District of New York prosecutes federal criminal violations such as this case while also handling civil litigation for the United States government across its jurisdiction covering 17 counties in western New York; it maintains offices in Buffalo and Rochester according to the official website.
The broader implications highlight ongoing concerns about financial crimes targeting automated banking systems through sophisticated cyber techniques like jackpotting—demonstrating both technological vulnerabilities within financial infrastructure and coordinated efforts among law enforcement agencies.
