South American crime ring busted and robberies committed across California

FRESNO, Calif. (FOX26) — The FBI says it has now busted a South American crime gang that committed robberies for months, totaling more than $1 million.

Some of the locations the crew is accused of targeting are right here in the Central Valley.

According to federal court documents released this past week, the ring targeted banks and ATMs in California, Oregon, Washington and Texas.

This 78-page affidavit outlines how investigators put it together, complete with photos showing how, investigators say, they committed the crimes.

It says the group – identified as the “South American Theft Crew” with members from Chile, Venezuela and Peru – relied on a combination of underground car rentals, AirBNBs, power tools and dark-colored spray paint.

The affidavit identified the members as Alex Moyano, Maite Celis, Erik Osorio, Pablo Valdez, Rosa Bastias, Camilo Sepulveda, Bassil Dacosta, Camilo Alarcon and Michelle Parada.

The FBI says it only learned about the SATC in June, when the crew tried to break into an ATM in Merced.

But later a pattern was found that connected it to other cases:

Forced entry.

Use of Covid style masks and construction vests.

And use of equipment including signal jammers and burners.

It says burglaries and attempts in the Fresno area linked to SATC include:

May 5 – A Wells Fargo ATM in Northwest Fresno where more than $80,000 was stolen.

June 21 – An EECU ATM in Clovis. Clovis police say between $150,000 and $200,000 was stolen from each of the two machines at that location.

July 10 – An ATM was attacked in Northwest Fresno. Once security showed up, the crew threw away the crowbars and blowtorches.

September 15 – Valley First Credit Union in North Fresno. Crew members were captured on surveillance video the day before, the FBI says. Although they were unable to get into that machine, the crew moved to the Fresno State campus, where EECU estimates the crew stole at least $20,000.

According to the affidavit, a woman identified as Maite Celis allegedly rented Air BNBs in Bakersfield, Tulare, Turlock and near the California-Oregon border.

Some homes were equipped with security cameras, which later showed crews rolling in large containers and bags — which the FBI said matched the cameras used in the robberies.

The FBI says the crew relied on a Southern California club promoter to rent SUVs — one turned out to be stolen.

But it had an Apple Air Tag, which allowed the crew to get to the scene of the crimes.

Often the crew members split up; some distracted the workers, while another occupied the spot in front of cameras and later spray-painted it black to avoid detection.

An informant told investigators that the ringleader is Alex Moyano Morales, who has a handful of aliases, including “Gordito.”

So far he has escaped capture; a warrant has already been issued for his arrest out of Glendale.

But they say he didn’t shy away from attention: he posted a photo with stacks of cash on his social media.