A federal grand jury indicted 11 foreign nationals on Thursday, Oct. 31, 2024, including a crew based in Fresno, for bank robbery and conspiracy, linked to a series of thefts exceeding $4 million across California, Oregon, and Washington. (DOJ)
- A federal grand jury indicts 11 foreign nationals for a string of bank robberies spanning California, Oregon, and Washington.
- Defendants allegedly used short-term rentals and illicitly obtained cars to steal $4 million from ATMs and banks.
- Nine suspects were arrested last week, with two more detained on Wednesday. Initial court dates are set in Washington and Fresno.
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A federal grand jury in Fresno indicted 11 foreign nationals Thursday on charges of bank robbery and conspiracy, stemming from a series of brazen thefts across California, Oregon, and Washington.
U.S. Attorney Phillip A. Talbert announced the indictments in a news release.
According to court documents, the bank-robbing spree began in May and ended with the arrests of nine suspects last week and two this week.
Court documents also outlined an intricate conspiracy involving break-ins at financial institutions, which the group meticulously planned. They allegedly rented short-term vacation homes near their targets and procured cars through illicit means.
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The crew identified vulnerable ATMs and used construction-crew disguises, blowtorches, and cellphone jammers, among other sophisticated tactics, to steal cash. In all, the suspects stole more than $4 million from about 30 banks and credit unions, prosecutors said.
Banks and ATMs in Fresno, Clovis, Merced, and Modesto were among those looted.
The individuals charged:
- Alex Moyano Morales, 24, of Chile
- Maite Celis Silva, 26, of Chile
- Erik Osorio Olivarez, 20, of Chile
- Pablo Valdez Rodriguez, 36, a Chilean national
- Rosa Bastias Serra, 42, of Chile
- Camilo Sepulveda Guzman, 31, of Peru
- Bassil Dacosta Frias, 34, of Venezuela
- Camilo Alarcon Alarcon, 23, of Chile
- Michelle Parada Munoz, 21, of Chile
- Alvaro Lagos Mieres, 44, of Chile
- Humberto Jimenez Moreno, 45, of Chile
All defendants are charged with conspiracy to commit bank robbery. Moyano, Celis, Osorio, Valdez, Bastias, Sepulveda, Lagos, and Jimenez face additional bank robbery charges, the Department of Justice said.
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The Robbery Spree
Investigators traced the group’s activities to numerous short-term rentals in Oregon and Washington, where they discovered a cache of robbery tools, disguises, fake IDs, and more than $100,000 in cash.
Among the notable robberies, on Sept. 18, the crew breached a Wells Fargo in Modesto by cutting through the wall of an adjoining business.
They targeted a Golden 1 Credit Union ATM on Sept. 22, employing similar disguises as in previous heists.
Later, on Sept. 28, they attempted to rob Tri Counties Bank in Fall River Mills using blowtorches and saws but were interrupted and left some tools behind.
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The FBI, alongside local law enforcement agencies in Fresno, Clovis, and several other cities, spearheaded the investigation.
The defendants now face serious charges, with potential penalties of up to 20 years in prison for bank robbery and five years for conspiracy, according to the DOJ.
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