Williamstown Police: 2 Arrested In ‘Jackpotting’ ATM Scheme

Two men from New York are facing charges after Williamstown Police busted them in a ATM "jackpotting" scheme. If you've never heard of this like I haven't, you're not alone. It's a lot more common that people realize, however.

So what is jackpotting? It's the act of physically and digitally manipulating an ATM in order to trick it to dispense large amounts of cash all at once. The term comes from someone hitting the jackpot at a casino on a slot machine.

Here's how it typically works. Criminals take advantage of weak physical security to get inside the ATM itself. Once there, they either deploy malware that takes control of the cash-dispensing system, or they connect a separate "black box" device that acts like a counterfeit controller, sending commands directly to the machine to release cash. The whole process can be over in minutes. This is an example of how it can go down, however, this is not a factual account in this particular case in Williamstown.

Williamstown Police: 2 Arrested In 'Jackpotting' ATM Scheme

Police arrested Manuel Antonio Moguea-Gutierrez, 23, of Brooklyn, NY and Roberto Flores Zabaleta, 20, of New York, NY. Both men have been charged with the felony offenses:

• Breaking into a Depository.
• Possession of Burglarious Tools
• Unauthorized access to a Computer System
• Destruction of Property, valued over $1200

The ATM that the suspects were attempting to manipulate was located at the Adams Community Bank at 273 Main Street, according to a press release by the Williamstown Police Department.

Perpetrators usually target ATMs in rural areas, making Williamstown a perfect target. "Jackpotting" crimes are on the rise - increasing 600% from 2021-2025.

Williamstown Police Chief Ziemba said, "These arrests indicate how regional, multi-state, and even international criminal activity can impact our local community. The persons arrested this weekend appear to be a part of larger criminal organization that perpetrates financial crimes on a wide scale."