Anibal Alexander Canelon Aguirre, 50, an alleged developer of the Ploutus ATM malware, has appeared in a U.S. court following his arrest, according to a BleepingComputer report published October 5, 2026. The report says U.S. authorities accuse him of being one of the principal leaders of an ATM “jackpotting” conspiracy. These are allegations and charges only. The report describes no conviction, plea or sentence.
Who is accused and what the report says
BleepingComputer identifies the defendant as Anibal Alexander Canelon Aguirre, who is also known as “Prometheus” and “The Engineer.” The report says the Justice Department announced his arrest and that he appeared in U.S. court afterward. It does not say when the appearance took place, which court heard it, or what happened at it. Those details are not established, so none are given here.
The Justice Department statement quoted in the report reads: “Canelon Aguirre is alleged to be the developer of the Ploutus malware and one of the principal leaders of ATM jackpotting conspiracy.”
The alleged scheme
According to the report’s account of court documents, Canelon Aguirre and accomplices allegedly used Ploutus malware to empty bank and credit union ATMs in jackpotting attacks between February 2024 and December 2025. Jackpotting means forcing an ATM to dispense cash without a legitimate withdrawal.
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The report attributes the following to the Justice Department:
- Ploutus included anti-analysis measures meant to hinder forensic review, including protections against reverse engineering and debugging.
- Files were designed to delete the malware from an ATM system to conceal that it had been deployed.
These are the government’s characterizations. The report does not present independent technical verification of them.
Rank #2
Reported losses
| Figure | What it covers | Source as reported |
|---|---|---|
| More than $5.4 million | Stolen in at least 63 jackpottings of banks and another 54 of credit unions | U.S. Department of Justice, via BleepingComputer, 2026 |
| $1,429,738 | Attempted attacks | U.S. Department of Justice, via BleepingComputer, 2026 |
| Over $100,000 per incident | Financial losses | U.S. Department of Justice, via BleepingComputer, 2026 |
The report does not name a separate statistical publication behind these numbers. They are figures tied to the allegations, not findings by a court. Note the difference between money actually stolen and the value of attempted attacks.
The charges and what the penalties mean
The report says Canelon Aguirre was charged in Nebraska in December 2025 with four conspiracy counts:
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| Charge | Maximum penalty cited |
|---|---|
| Conspiracy to commit bank fraud | 30 years |
| Conspiracy to commit money laundering | 20 years |
| Conspiracy to commit bank burglary and fraud in connection with computers | 5 years |
| Conspiracy to provide material support to terrorists | 15 years |
These are statutory maximums quoted in the report. They are not a sentence and do not show guilt. A defendant is presumed innocent unless convicted or until a plea is entered and accepted.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.What is not known
- The date and court of the post-arrest appearance.
- Whether he has entered a plea, and his custody status.
- Any later hearing dates or outcomes.
The report relies on the Justice Department and court documents. The original release, the charging papers and the docket were not available to check directly, so details could change as the case proceeds.
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Rank #4
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