SYLACAUGA, Ala. – A Venezuelan man previously convicted of bank theft in Oklahoma now faces charges in Alabama for a sophisticated ATM hacking scheme that netted tens of thousands of dollars over Thanksgiving week.
Johnny Cruz Romero, 44, is charged with conspiracy and computer fraud in connection with ATM jackpotting — a cybercrime where malware manipulates machines to dispense unauthorized cash, according to federal investigators.
Court records allege Romero and an accomplice accessed an ATM at Heritage South Credit Union on Nov. 25, stealing $50,200 over several hours. They returned two days later to withdraw another $26,400 using the same technique. Surveillance footage shows the suspects opening the ATM, installing a device, and obscuring the camera.
On Thursday, Nov. 28, officers with the Sylacauga Police Department stopped a black car speeding away from the bank after reports of suspicious activity…