Two Defendants Arrested For Stealing Over $1 Million From ATMs Throughout The Bronx

Damian Williams, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, and Keechant L. Sewell, the Commissioner of the New York City Police Department ("NYPD"), announced the unsealing of a two-count Complaint today charging RAMDEO BALLIRAM and LEONARDO ORTIZ with bank theft and conspiracy to commit bank theft in connection with a years-long scheme in which they stole more than $1 million from Automated Teller Machines ("ATMs") located in commercial establishments throughout the Bronx. BALLIRAM and ORTIZ were arrested today and will be presented before U.S. Magistrate Judge James L. Cott.

U.S. Attorney Damian Williams said: "As alleged, the defendants carried out a calculated scheme for years, stealing over a million dollars from ATMs in businesses throughout the Bronx. The relentless efforts of this Office and our law enforcement partners have finally put an end to the burglaries and thefts allegedly perpetrated by the defendants, and we will continue to be diligent in seeking justice for those affected by these crimes."

NYPD Commissioner Keechant L. Sewell said: "For nearly two years, these defendants allegedly targeted multiple small businesses in the Bronx - burglarizing, ransacking, and stealing more than $1 million. Their brazen scheme undermined public safety throughout an entire borough, and today's complaint is the next step toward holding them accountable for their crimes. Thank you to the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Southern District of New York and all the NYPD investigators who worked together to bring charges in this case."

According to the allegations contained in the Complaint:[1]

From at least in or about March 2021 through in or about January 2023, BALLIRAM, ORTIZ, and another individual ("CC-1") engaged in a series of at least 23 burglaries of commercial establishments throughout the Bronx, in which they stole over $1 million from ATMs.

The burglaries followed a simple pattern: on each occasion, BALLIRAM, ORTIZ, and at least one other individual broke into Bronx small businesses - often bodegas or restaurants - in the middle of the night in order to steal all the cash from the ATM inside the store. In the course of stealing all the cash from the ATMs, BALLIRAM and ORTIZ also ransacked each store, stealing all the cash from the register, cigarettes, lottery tickets, alcohol, and digital video recording systems. BALLIRAM and ORTIZ stole tens of thousands of dollars in cash and valuables each time.

BALLIRAM and ORTIZ serially followed an armored car ("Bank Van-1") as it refilled ATMs throughout the Bronx on behalf of a particular bank in order to determine which ATMs to target. Once BALLIRAM and ORTIZ learned which ATMs had been refilled, they then traveled to that location to break into the store and steal the cash. BALLIRAM and ORTIZ often used sophisticated tools to break into both the commercial establishments and the ATMs, as pictured below. On the occasion pictured below, BALLIRAM and ORTIZ stole more than $77,000 from the ATM:

On a few occasions, when they were unable to break into the ATM to steal the cash, BALLIRAM and ORTIZ stole the entire ATM. On at least one occasion, BALLIRAM and ORTIZ also used a stolen vehicle to carry out the scheme.

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BALLIRAM, 44, of Queens, New York, and Ortiz, 52, of Queens, New York, are each charged with one count of conspiracy to commit bank theft, which carries a maximum potential sentence of five years in prison, and one count of bank theft, which carries a maximum potential sentence of 10 years in prison.

The maximum potential penalties are prescribed by Congress and are provided here for informational purposes only, as any sentencing of the defendants will be determined by the judge.

Mr. Williams praised the outstanding investigative work of the NYPD, particularly Detectives of the Bronx Grand Larceny Squad, and the Special Agents and Investigative Analysts of the United States Attorney's Office for the Southern District of New York.

This case is being handled by the Office's General Crimes Unit. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jackie Delligatti is in charge of the prosecution.

The charges contained in the Complaint are merely accusations, and the defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.

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