NEW YORK — They didn't use guns, masks or even threatening notes passed to bank tellers.
But
an alleged international gang of cyberthieves managed to steal $45
million from thousands of ATMs in carefully coordinated attacks
conducted in a matter of hours, federal authorities charged Thursday.
A
four-count indictment unsealed in Brooklyn charged that eight members
of the alleged gang's New York City crew alone stole approximately $2.4
million from nearly 3,000 ATMs across the metropolitan area in secret
strikes carried out on two days in February.
"In
the place of guns and masks, this cybercrime organization used laptops
and the Internet," said Brooklyn U.S. Attorney Loretta Lynch as federal
authorities announced details of one of the largest 21st century
versions of cyber-robbery yet uncovered. "Moving as swiftly as data over
the Internet, the organization worked its way from the computer systems
of international corporations to the streets of New York City, with the
defendants fanning out across Manhattan to steal millions of dollars
from hundreds of ATMS."
Federal prosecutors and investigators said
the alleged attacks are known in the cyberunderworld as "Unlimited
Operations" — because using sophisticated computer-hacking techniques
enable those involved to gain access to virtually unlimited criminal
proceeds.
The schemes involve hacking into the computer systems of credit card
processors, stealing information involving prepaid debit card accounts
and eliminating the withdrawal limits and balances of those accounts.
The moves enable international organized crime cells that work in swift,
surgically coordinated attacks to withdraw unlimited amounts of cash
from ATMs before the operations are shut down.
According to the
indictment, the alleged gang carried out two lucrative unlimited
operations between October 2012 and last month. In the initial attack,
hackers working with the gang on Dec. 22 allegedly targeted a credit
card processor that handled prepaid MasterCard debit cards issued by the
National Bank of Ras Al-Khaimah, a United Arab Emirates bank also
known as Rakbank
After penetrating the processor's computer
network, the hackers fraudulently manipulated the balances and
withdrawal limits on Rakbank prepaid debit card accounts. Then, teams of
so-called cashers allegedly launched carefully timed attacks that
caused more than $5 million in criminal losses from more than 4,500 ATMs
in about 20 countries.
In just two hours and 25 minutes, the
thieves allegedly conducted 750 fraudulent transactions that withdrew
nearly $400,000 from approximately 140 New York City ATM locations,
according to prosecutors and the indictment.
The alleged second unlimited operation unfolded between the afternoon
of Feb. 19 and the pre-dawn hours of the following day. This time, the
gang's hackers allegedly compromised computers of the processor of
prepaid debit cards for the Bank of Muscat, located in Oman.
In
approximately 10 hours, casher cells in 24 countries conducted
approximately 36,000 ATM transactions worldwide, withdrawing an
estimated $40 million, the indictment charged. The haul included $2.4
million withdrawn by the alleged New York crew.
Authorities in
more than a dozen countries around the world are working with U.S.
counterparts on the investigation. The allegations announced Thursday
did not identify the suspected mastermind leading the cyberattacks or
the suspected computer hackers.
However the indictment charged the
gang's New York group was headed by Alberto Yusi Lajud-Pena, 23, who
was also known as "Prime" and "Albertico." He and gang confederates
Elvis Rafael Rodriguez, 24, and Emir Yasser Yeje, 24, allegedly
laundered hundreds of thousands of dollars stolen from the ATMs by
depositing the cash in bank accounts and using the money to buy luxury
cars and expensive watches.
In a single transaction, a total of nearly $150,000 in $20 bills was
deposited in a Miami account controlled by Lajud-Pena, the indictment
charged. He was found murdered in the Dominican Republic last month,
authorities said.
Federal authorities have so far seized hundreds
of thousands of dollars in cash and bank accounts, two Rolex watches
and a Mercedes SUV. They are also seeking forfeiture of a Porsche
Panamera, which, like the SUV, was allegedly bought with money stolen in
the cyber scheme.
In all, seven of the eight suspected members of
the gang's New York crew have been arrested and indicted on charges of
conspiracy to commit access device fraud, money laundering conspiracy
and money laundering. If convicted, they would face a maximum 10-year
prison terms on each money laundering charge, 7.5 years on the access
device fraud count and up to $250,000 in fines.
I just hope Nigerians will learn from this by doing something to curb such crimes.
Like our
Fan's page on Facebook here: Naijagigs and on Twitter here: @naijagigs
Culled from: USATODAY
No comments:
Post a Comment
Please feel free to comment here. Thanks!