In an unprecedented turn for cybersecurity and the fight against transnational organized crime, the FBI has marked a milestone in its recent history. On March 12, 2026, the agency formally added Aníbal Alexander Canelon Aguirre to its prestigious and feared list of the ten most wanted fugitives. This is not a run-of-the-mill fugitive; Canelon Aguirre represents the evolution of crime: a tech expert whose ability to breach financial systems has injected millions of dollars into the veins of one of the most dangerous criminal organizations in the Americas: the Aragua Train (TdA).
ARCHITECT OF JACKPOTTING
Canelon Aguirre’s criminal career, known in the digital underworld by the aliases “Prometheus” or “The Engineer,” did not begin yesterday. According to investigations led by Eugene Kowel, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI office in Omaha, Nebraska, the suspect has managed to elude authorities since roughly 2017.
His specialty is “jackpotting,” a sophisticated technique involving installing malware directly into ATM hardware. Once infected, the machine obeys the attacker’s commands and begins dispensing all available cash uninterruptedly, as if it were the jackpot prize of a slot machine.
“We believe that Canelon Aguirre is not merely an operator, but the intellectual creator of the malware that has attacked hundreds of financial institutions across the United States,” Kowel said during the case presentation. What makes Aguirre particularly dangerous is his adaptability: each time banks implement security patches, he modifies the code to outmaneuver the new defenses, continually expanding the catalog of vulnerable machines.
LINK TO THE ARAGUA TRAIN
What initially seemed like a series of isolated cyber heists took on a much darker dimension when the FBI managed to trace the money’s destination. The funds stolen by Canelon Aguirre’s network did not end up in personal savings accounts, but served as the principal financial engine of the Aragua Train.
This organization, originating from the Tocorón prison in Venezuela and officially designated as a foreign terrorist organization, has spread its tentacles across Latin America and, more recently, coast to coast in the United States. The money-laundering network orchestrated by “The Engineer” enables the cash stolen from U.S. ATMs to be transformed into resources for horrific activities: drug trafficking, human trafficking, arms trafficking, and a wave of violent crimes affecting vulnerable communities.
Since January 2024, the intensity of these operations has doubled. It is estimated that under his leadership more than 1,800 incidents have been reported, resulting in losses exceeding 55 million dollars.
LEGAL CRACKDOWN
On December 9, 2025, the United States District Court in Omaha issued a federal arrest warrant detailing the gravity of his actions. The charges are damning: Conspiracy to commit bank fraud, intentional damage to protected computer systems, money laundering on a large scale, and providing material support to terrorist organizations.
This final charge is what elevates Canelon Aguirre to a top-priority category for national security, making him the first truly “pure” cybercriminal to hold a spot in the FBI’s Top 10.
REWARD
Aníbal Canelon Aguirre is currently 49 years old. He is of medium build (86 kg), stands between 1.65 and 1.70 meters tall, has black hair with gray strands and brown eyes. Born in Venezuela, he maintains close ties in both his country of origin and in Mexico, countries where he is suspected of hiding using his multiple aliases, such as Aníbal A. Canelon-Aguirre or simply Aguirre.
The United States government has authorized a reward of up to one million dollars for any information that directly leads to his capture. Authorities emphasize that anyone with information about his whereabouts can contact anonymously through the 1-800-CALL-FBI line or the tips.fbi.gov portal.
The inclusion of “The Engineer” on the Most Wanted list is, in the words of Eugene Kowel, a strategic move to dismantle the financial structure of the TdA. “By stopping the flow of money and holding people like Canelon Aguirre accountable, we will contribute significantly to mitigating the activities of the Aragua Train not only in this country, but worldwide,” the agent concluded.
The hunt for Prometheus has begun, and with a million dollars on the table, the FBI hopes that the technology that once concealed him will now be the tool that allows locating him.
