FBI Uncovers Cyber Crime Network
The FBI has announced that it has broken up a major global cyber crime network as a result of the arrest of 90 suspected members of the ring located in the U.S.
The arrested individuals were employed as bank account “mules” for criminals operating out of Eastern Europe who had hacked into computers throughout the U.S. to pilfer approximately 70 million dollars.
In addition, other suspects were detained in the Ukraine and in Britain, police said.
According to the FBI, the coordinated arrests were a component of “one of the largest cyber criminal cases we have ever investigated”.
The majority of those taken into custody in the U.S. were accused of money laundering and conspiring to commit bank fraud, a federal attorney said.
The charges were tied to the accused being involved in the fraudulent activities as go-betweens or mules by providing bank accounts for an elaborate cyber crime scheme.
In a statement, the FBI explained that cyber criminals in Eastern Europe would distribute spam email to both individuals and small businesses in the U.S. exposing unprotected computers to a virus known as “Zeus”.
Once the virus was activated the hackers were able to gain access to users’ passwords and bank account data. They then rigged the infected computers in a way that enabled them to transfer funds to the bank accounts set up by the go-betweens in the US.
The FBI added that, in total, the crime networks attempted to steal approximately 220 million dollars.
In May 2009, FBI agents in Omaha, Nebraska, identified a number of suspicious transactions. Further investigation eventually led to the cooperative international operation and the arrests.
Law enforcement organizations in the US, the Netherlands, the Ukraine, and Britain have also been involved in the investigation.
Authorities in the Ukraine arrested 5 individuals, suspected leaders of the crime ring while British police arrested 19 people additional suspects.
The international investigation is continuing.
